A New Start (Re-Vamped)
by Catcher of Fantasies
Summary: Takes place during the finals with Rakuzan, but follows a different plot. What if Kuroko had unleashed the zone and kept his promise to Momoi by bringing them back together. Now that they are, what happens now, and are things REALLY the same as before? And when offered with the chance to bring back the official GoM, how will Kuroko respond? Here lies the story of the GoM's future.
1. Chapter 1: Not Yet

**So I've been thinking about continuing this story for a long time. But I looked at the chapters and really wanted to revamp them, yet was discouraged at the thought of reading through all of them again... But here I am!**

 **To those of you who were waiting this whole time, there's nothing I can possibly say to earn your forgiveness. You guys were so patient and I'm shocked that you guys were still waiting for so long. Thank you so much for your patience with me. To those of you who had forgotten about this story, I don't blame you at all heheh.**

 **I haven't revamped all the chapters yet, so it's going to take a little bit of time to put out future chapters. Once I revamp the last chapter of the original story, updates may be even longer and I'm apologizing in advance for that. But I DO have a plot in mind when writing this.**

 **Anyways enjoy! And feel free to mention if there is a lack of detail or if its going to fast and needs more details per event and such. I'm trying to keep track of score, but let me know if you see me slip up anywhere.**

* * *

Chapter 1: This isn't over yet!

They wouldn't last much longer. Seirin had been faced with numerous situations where victory seemed to be an impossible feat, i.e. their match against Touou, Shuutoku, and Kaijo during the Winter High Tournament.

Yet even Kuroko realized how hopeless this situation was.

The first 5 minutes of the game against Rakuzan had been completely one-sided, with their starters besting Seirin's players in every way. Rakuzan's players were superior in every category; from Nebuya overpowering Kiyoshi in the key, to Mibuchi draining more threes than Hyuga could even attempt, to even Mayuzumi's mimicry of Kuroko's misdirection. And not to mention the captain of the GoM, Seijuro Akashi was leading Rakuzan the whole time.

And what made it so frustrating for Kuroko you ask? It was the fact that he was forced to watch it all from the bench while his teammates' hopes and wills were crushed before his very eyes.

For the second time in his whole basketball career, Kuroko was forced to accept to the drastic truth. An overpowered loss was completely inevitable; it was just like their first match against Touou all over again.

"Damn…." Riko Aida chewed on her thumb and cursed to herself as Akashi stole the ball from Izuki _yet again_ and scored. She continued to watch as her players get pummeled on the court, powerless to do anything to change the flow of the game. They seemed to have lost any chance of winning. Even though Kagami was on-court as the seconds ticked by, even he was powerless in the face of Akashi who was performing ankle breakers one after another as if it was as simple as breathing.

As of now, they had their best line up possible:

Izuki in as PG

Hyuga playing SG

Kawahara replacing Kuroko's place on the court as SF

Kagami in the usual PF

Kiyoshi in the C position.

Yet the best they could do was merely slow down the rate at which Rakuzan scored. Every now and then they managed to get to a point when they would catch Nebuya by surprise or move past Mibuchi. But nevertheless, getting the ball near Akashi practically meant an automatic steal and turnover for them.

"Dammit… is this as far as we go? What now senpai, can't we do anything to stop this? This isn't even a match anymore, its slaughter!" Koganei pleaded as the bench members looked at Aida, hoping she would come up with the solution to their problems.

Normally, even in dire situations, Aida provided the silver lining Seirin needed to prevail when their usual measures failed and Kuroko had no trick up his sleeve. Yet even she was at a loss now in the face of Rakuzan's overpowering team. They were simply no match for 3 Uncrowned Kings and a GoM player.

"Sorry, but there's nothin' you can do. This match was decided the moment you beat Kise and Kaijou in the semi-finals. It's pointless to keep trying." said a random, yet familiar voice from behind them. The Seirin team looked behind them at the stands, where they spotted Aomine, Momoi, Midorima, Kise and their respective teams spectating from front-row seat in the audience. "Yo." Aomine waved lamely as he continued to spectate the match, disregarding what he just said.

"Eh heh, I know it seems kinda harsh, but Aominecchi is spot on for once." Kise stated. Ignoring the protest from Aomine, he looked towards the court with a serious and stern face replacing his usual happy go-lucky one.

"This isn't exactly new. All of Rakuzan's matches have been one-sided up till now, although it's to be expected with Akashicchi leading them". Seeing the crestfallen look on the faces of Seirin, Kise tried to lighten the mood. "But you guys never cease to amaze me! 5 minutes in, and you're only done by 25 heh heh..." Kise replied nervously while scratching the back of his head, trying to get their hopes up, but it seemed his attempts fell on deaf ears, as the member of Seirin looked down, the light in their eyes having already dulled.

Kasamatsu, captain of Kaijo, looked towards the court, watching the slaughter continue on without any signs of let up. "Crap, I heard that they were undefeatable, but I didn't think it would be this bad. I've never seen such a one-sided match before in my life in such a short amount of time. To think we'd have gone up against them if we won against you guys. Almost makes me glad we lost in the semi-finals with some dignity." Kasamatsu said as he looked on.

"It's to be expected. Indeed Rakuzan on its own was always a tough opponent, what with their possession of 3 Uncrowned Kings." Imayoshi of Touou replied, re-adjusting his glasses while analyzing the game. "But with the addition of Akashi, their potential has skyrocketed, entering into a league of their own. With his high-intellectual abilities, alongside his Emperor's Eyes, it's unquestionable why a first-year like him became captain. They practically have no need for a coach."

"Akashi's Emperor's Eye practically renders all forms of offense and defense useless due to his ability to strike at each individual's weakpoints. I can't seem to find any weakpoints in his ability." Imayoshi continued.

"Not to mention the fact that Kuroko's lack of presence has disappeared. Without it, Kuroko is just an average player with a mediocre shot. There isn't much of a bright future for this game, if there even was one in the first place. Who would've thought that progressing would've worked against him." Takao of Shuutoku said off-handedly.

Midorima followed up Takao's statement. "Even if he had progressed at a similar rate during his time with us at Teiko, it wouldn't have diminished his lack of presence. Back then, he still would've been shadowed by the overwhelming presence of the GoM players. But here, in Seirin, there aren't many players who can overshadow him excluding Kagami, and I'm afraid just him isn't enough to shroud Kuroko's presence at this point." Midorima said firmly, never taking his eyes of the game.

"Even with Kagami on the court, it's just a lost cause isn't it…?" Koganei muttered as he looked away.

"To think we'd have to go against this next year too. There's no point in even continuing after this year…" Tsuchida followed up, looking down crestfallen.

Satsuki Momoi said nothing and just stared at Kuroko, who continued to portray a deadpan poker face, making it impossible to tell what he's feeling. "Tetsu-kun…." Momoi whispered worryingly.

* * *

 **Momoi POV**

She hated it.

Nothing was the same ever since they graduated from Teiko Middle School. Momoi began to reminisce, to back in the days of Teiko where they all happily got along, acting like an actual family would. Of course, they had their conflicts, ranging from Ki-chan and Aomine-kun arguing over petty things, to Midorin complaining at Muk-kun to eat with his mouth closed. But those were comparable to that of family and friendly fusses, ones that no one really took seriously.

But nowadays, they all looked at each other with cold eyes, eyes that dared each other to start a fight, itching for a chance to show their superiority. Even Ki-chan optimistic façade was easily seen through, if not by the public, then by the original members of their group from back then.

She missed those days; the days where Aomine-kun and Tetsu-kun genuinely smiled on a daily basis. Among their group from back then, Tetsu-kun had changed the least, maintaining his warm and caring personality that was shrouded behind his deadpanned face that hardly every revealed any emotion. Yet even he stopped giving any genuine smiles, as if they were just something he did to make everyone happy, yet never truly feeling happy herself.

And now, looking at him during the game, once again showing a face devoid of any emotions, she wondered. ' _Will things ever go back to the way they were?'_

* * *

 **General POV**

Kuroko merely lay back on the bench and looked at the high ceiling, drowning out the sound of the fans and the game. He went through a series of flashbacks; going back to the first time he met the Seirin members, to witnessing their undying will in the face of defeat, to experiencing the close bonds that they all shared like a family; something that the GoM lacked and he desired during his years at Teiko Middle School.

Kuroko's head snapped back down to the court, being brought back out of his trance by the sound of the buzzer, signaling the end of the first quarter. The score was now 52-23, with Rakuzan holding a comfortable lead in only the first 12 minutes of the game.

"...Sorry. I haven't been able to shoot effectively so far. I'm just holding us back as it is right now." Hyuga flopped down onto the bench, drenching himself in ice cold water. Mibuchi had proven to outmatch him in every aspect of ball, ranging from accuracy to reaction, to even pure presence.

"Don't give up!" Kagami barked, his brows knitted together and face physically strained yet showing not sign of withdrawal. "It doesn't matter if we lose! We've lost before, and I'll gladly accept another. But I won't accept if we lose without giving a fight to the very last second!" Kagami yelled at both his teammates on court and on bench.

"That's right! We're not going to let up now, not when there's still so much time on the clock. We fight to the very last point! That's always been Seirin's style, and that will not change now!" Kiyoshi yelled, smiling at Kagami's enthusiasm.

Riko Aida smiled at their shouts. "That's right! If we lose, then we lose. There is nothing more to it. All we can do is gain from this loss, and work for a better future, one where we can be the ones sitting comfortably with that scoreboard showing off in our favor. So for now, ignore the score, play to your hearts' content and show them our ferocity!"

The members of Seirin roared in agreement, their will being revitalized. Kuroko couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. Back at the bleachers Momoi mirrored Kuroko's actions, taking notice of his _genuine_ smile being shown for once. ' _It's good to see that he hasn't changed that much. After all, he wouldn't by my Tetsu-kun if he did change.'_

"Ehhh? What the hell are you smiling at? They're getting their asses handed to them." Aomine yelled over the crowd at Momoi, noticing the smile that traced along her face. Momoi did nothing but shake her head. "You wouldn't understand Aomine-kun but... I think I finally understand why Tetsu-kun chose to join such a team."

Aomine, not understanding what the hell she was talking about, shook it off. ' _All this thinking is just pointless. Regardless of what happens, the outcome is still the same. They're going to lose.'_

"So why do they bother to struggle so hard?"

Kise on the other hand, sitting by his team to the left of Aomine and Touou, was impressed at how little it took to bring their spirits back up. Like a wizard casting a spell over their bench, the mutual spirit of Seirin was lifted by the starting players' refusal to accept defeat.

* * *

~Still on break, Rakuzan's side~

"Sheesh! What a troublesome team. That determination is like an iron wall, neh Akashi?" Hayama stated, eyeing the members of Seirin.

"Indeed, I'm most impressed with their undying spirit and unwavering determination." Mibuchi replied, seemingly staring directly at the opposing bench. "Though I can't say I'm satisfied with the game play they've shown us. I'm really disappointed in them, namely Kuroko. I'm quite shocked he so carelessly diminished his lack of presence with even being aware of it."

"Regardless, their lack of experience on-court is quite evidently depicted through their actions on-court and their coach's decision-making. This match has already been decided." Akashi said to his team.

He looked towards the bench of Seirin. Although his words carried utmost confidence in his victory, he could help but feel a shroud of doubt, most likely from the unanswered question in his head. ' _So why do they continue to fight back. How can they still maintain their will for victory. Why do you continue to get in my way Tetsuya?_ '

"Screw experience and what-not, this is fuckin' annoying. We should be destroying them by now. Akashi! Do something about this!" Nebuya yelled at Akashi while drying his face with a towel.

"…" Akashi sat down on the bench, and looked at the ground for several seconds before replying to Nebuya's demands.

"We'll start by taking over Kagami and Tetsuya. From what I can observe, Kagami is what's holding their team together and revitalizing their will. And without a doubt, I'm positive that Tetsuya will continue to encourage his teammates. But by overpowering Kagami and besting his will to fight back, Tetsuya will most definitely fall, seeing his light being destroyed. Seirin will naturally fall in line behind them, seeing their two aces go down." Akashi replied to all four other members of his starting line-up.

"Neh neh, lemme take him on Akashi! I'll blow past Kagami with just three of my fingers!" Hayama pointed with three fingers upwards, gesturing which fingers he meant.

"Hell no! Leave him to me! I'll posterize him and make him fall on his ass like a sissy! The best way to beat him his by makin' him look like an amateur!" Nebuya argued back at Hayama.

"No, he's mine. With Kuroko off the field, I'm getting bored of that Kawahara runt. He can't even keep his eyes on me." Mayuzumi, the so-called new model of Phantom Sixth Man jumped in. "I'll make it impossible for him to even get a hand on the ball. The best way to beat him is to make him useless."

Nebuya, Hayama and Mayuzumi began bickering amongst themselves over who would personally take on Kagami, while Mibuchi sat alongside them and sighed at their immaturity. Akashi kept his head down and let them argue for a good 10 seconds before jumping in.

" _ **Enough.**_ " Akashi's calm and firm voice gained the immediate attention of all four starters.

"Enough of this useless bickering, or else there **will** be consequences."

Mayuzumi, Nebuya and Hayama ceased their argument immediately, fully aware of Akashi's serious attitude. Akashi never bluffs when it comes to threats.

Akashi continued on. "Kagami will be guarded by me personally. We will maintain our current positions as it is." Akashi looked onto the court, where the referee was about to signal the start of the second quarter. His eyes darkened and a sinister look feel upon his face, one that threatened disaster for whoever it was pointed at. "I'll beat him at his own game and challenges and make him regret daring to defy me." ' _And then I'll show you just how futile your efforts are Tetsuya._ '

The referee blew the whistle and both teams sent out their lineup.

' _After all, I'm never wrong_ '

* * *

 **~On-Court~**

Both teams sent out their line-ups onto the court, with each player marking the opponent. With Rakuzan on offense, Hayama began dribbling up the court, with Izuki waiting patiently at the end of the court at the tip of the three-point line. In the paint, Nebuya began pressing Kiyoshi, boxing him out in order to get a possible rebound or bounce pass for a score. Hyuga struggled to follow Mibuchi, who was swiftly moving through defenders to get open for a shot, while Mayuzumi would spontaneously appear to place a pick for Mibuchi. And to Seirin's utter confusion, Akashi patiently stood at the corner three-point line, as if to prove that he will not be participating.

Kagami, although bewildered by Akashi's course of action, remained stationary and marked Akashi as his opposing player. "What are you up to Akashi? This better not be you underestimating us!" Kagami yelled at Akashi.

"….."

"Oi, at least have the manners to respond when someone is talking to you!" Kagami gritted his teeth as Akashi impassively shook off the intimidation and turned a cold stare at him.

"1, I see no reason to talk to someone who clearly does not know his place. And 2, I am **not** underestimating you. To say such a thing would imply that I am not aware of your true capabilities, which is invalid. In fact, my estimation of your abilities is 100 % accurate and I have concluded that my assistance is no longer needed, as our victory is already assured."

Before Kagami was given the chance to retort, the buzzer went off. Looking at the scoreboard, Kagami noticed the score change from 52-23, to 54-23 in Rakuzan's favor. He had just enough time to see Nebuya hit the ground after pushing Kiyoshi down in the post and hooking in an easy layup.

"…As I've said, my assistance is no longer needed." Akashi began trailing down the opposite side of the court, setting into a defensive position.

"Bastard….." Kagami grinded his teeth as he was given the ball by Izuki and began dribbling down the court. Once he reached the other end of the court, he stopped in front of Akashi. "I'll show you what we're really capable of!" Kagami bent down low with the ball as his eyes flashed red.

' _So he's entering the zone right at the start is he?_ ' Akashi thought as Kagami hesitated right and drove to the left of Akashi in an attempt to get past Akashi. Akashi raised his left hand as Kagami first began his original hesitation. ' _Thinking you can best me just because you've entered the zone. I'll show you just how foolish it is to challenge me…_ ' In less than a second, the ball popped out of Kagami's possession, bouncing down the court, with Akashi running after it. ' _I can see right through you!_ '

It took Kagami a split second to realize what had just happened. Hyuga, who was spectating by the corner line, widened his eyes at Akashi's god-like reactions. "Shit! Fast break! Get back on defense, NOW!" Yet their effort was in vain as Akashi had already scored a simple right-handed layup by the time Kagami had reached the half-court line.

As Akashi passed by Kagami to return to his side of the court, he eyed Kagami. "Although it's quite impossible, I challenge you then. Show me that I was wrong and show me what you're capable of". And with that, Akashi returned to his side of the court.

"Bastard…." Kagami cursed to himself, frustrated by his inability to surpass Akashi.

Kiyoshi patted Kagami on the back as he passed him on his way down the court on offense. "Don't let him get to you. We're still gonna need you if we're going to win. If you can't beat him, that's fine. That's what you have us for. We're a team after all!" Kiyoshi smiled at Kagami before walking down the court. Kagami stared at him as he walked down the court, before a smack to the head woke him up from his trance. He cursed and began rubbing his sore spot as he turned around to see Hyuga scowling at him.

"What the fuck Hyuga?!" Kagami growled at him, further deepening the scowl on Hyuga's face.

"Don't get all whiney on us now. Who cares if he scores on you? We'll just get it back." Hyuga said before passing Kagami. But as he passed him, he put his hand on Kagami's shoulder and leaned towards his ear.

"We still need you on the team, so get it together already." And with that, he followed in Kiyoshi's steps. Kagami did nothing but stare, before he took a deep breath and exhaled. "That's right…" He said to himself, before looking up, the light back in his eyes. "This ain't over yet!"

Akashi, noticing it all go down, slightly frowned at the sight. ' _It seems Kagami and Tetsuya are not the only ones posing a threat to our victory as it is. Best to take care of them all at once, or else they'll just bring each other back up._ ' He then turned to Nebuya and Mibuchi, who had also noticed the scene. Mibuchi nodded his head and Nebuya grinned to himself, both understanding Akashi's message.

"Kagami." Akashi called out to Kagami, who turned his head in Akashi's direction in response. He flinched at the sight of Akashi, whose hair, as short as it was, draped over his eyes. The glare that could be seen through his hair bore into Kagami, making his stomach queasy and uncomfortable. Akashi lifted his head, his dichromatic eyes piercing into Kagami.

" **We'll show you. The true power of Rakuzan. The true meaning of despair and failure**."

* * *

 **~In-Game~**

The score was currently 56-23. Izuki inbounded the ball to Hyuga, who dribbled down the court and stopped at the three-point line. Planting both feet on the ground and both hands on the ball, he looked directly at the hoop and pulled up…

!

Only for his view to be directly blocked by Mibuchi, who had jumped to block him.

' _The hell?! When did he get so close? Shit!_ '

At the last second, Hyuga pulled out of his shot set-up and bounce passed the ball to Kiyoshi, who was waiting in the post in the key.

With both hands on the ball, Kiyoshi began pushing against Nebuya in the post, in an attempt to force him back

"Ugh!"

' _Normally, the purpose of the post is to force the defensive player back. So why? Why am I the one being pushed back?!_ ' Kiyoshi thought as he was actually _pushed_ away by Nebuya, who may as well have been a brick wall. Noticing the shot clock dwindle down, Kiyoshi made a quick decision, side-stepping and attempting to hook in a right-handed layup.

"UWAAAAAHHH MUSCLE BLOCKKK!" Nebuya aimed his left hand at the ball that was still in Kiyoshi's hand and practically punched the ball out of Kiyoshi's possession.

' _Urp!_ _How the hell am I supposed to get passed this guy?! I can't even gain any space on him, rather score!_ ' Kiyoshi thought as he landed back on his feet.

The ball bounced its way down to the half-court line, where Akashi was already standing and waiting. He began to dribble down the court but was stopped by Kagami, who was still in the Zone.

The next few events happened in less than 5 seconds.

One second, Akashi bended down low and paced towards Kagami with the ball in his right-hand.

"I told you already." Akashi said to Kagami..

The next second, Kagami bended down low into a defensive stance, preparing to block Akashi's path.

Then in the blink of an eye Kagami was on the floor, with Akashi walking past him with the ball.

"Your attempts at stopping me are absolutely futile." Akashi said before driving down the lane and scoring a wide-open, left-handed layup. Akashi walked past Kagami, who remained motionless on the court.

Kagami remained flat on the floor, closing his eyes and grinding his teeth together. "Dammit. Dammit Dammit DAMMIT!" ' _Why can't I stop him?! What is it that I'm doing wrong?! Why are we so helpless to stop them after all we've been through?!_ '

* * *

 **~Bench and Spectators~**

"Heh heh, looks like we're done for. This game is in the bag for them…" Koganei flopped down on the bench and looked up at the ceiling. "Damn…. this is so frustrating and humiliating."

"This match has been completely one-sided in Rakuzan's favor since the first quarter, yet they're not even letting up one bit it seems." Kasamatsu said directly to Kise in the bleachers, who looked on with an unsurprised face.

"It's to be expected. Akashicchi is the type of man who shows no mercy and takes no chances. He destroys anything that seems like an obstacle in his path." Kise replied back to Kasamatsu.

"But then what could he possible be striving for right now? All I see is Rakuzan just toying with Seirin's player." Takao stated after hearing Kise's statement.

"...Most likely, Akashi-kun is aiming to break their spirits and will. Seirin is the kind of team that's shown to continue, regardless of the outcome and the unbalance of skill. He probably wants to destroy their will by humiliating their players, to ensure that they don't fight back." Momoi said, while never taking her eyes of Kuroko.

Throughout the whole game, Kuroko remained silent and portrayed no emotion and simply sat on the bench.

The sound of a whistle signified a time-out, and Kuroko looked at Riko Aida questioningly, seeing no purpose in calling for a time-out.

"That wasn't me…" Riko said, bewildered and confused by Rakuzan's decision for a timeout.

Kuroko frowned slightly in realization.

"They're toying with us." He stated, as the member of Seirin gave him their attention.

"They realize the difference in skill and they're making fun of us for it. It's like they're trampling on our pride and fooling around with us."

Kuroko looked directly at Akashi, who looked back directly at him, giving him a smug look of accomplishment before returning to Rakuzan's bench. Noticing the look, Kuroko prepared himself for the onslaught of depression from their returning line-up

Hyuga, Kiyoshi and Izuki came back to the bench with their heads hanging in depression, while Kagami and Kawahara came back with frustrated looks on their faces.

"Sigh. It's hopeless, this match is a lost cause." Hyuga said flopping down on the bench.

"They're not even taking us seriously. This is just entertainment to them..." Kiyoshi followed in Hyuga's footsteps.

Momoi looked on sadly at Seirin's members, alongside Aomine, who just sighed at the sight as if it was expected.

"Well, it seems Akashi finally has this in the bag." Aomine said.

"Mouuu~ Aomine-kun. You should be helping Seirin get back on their feet." Momoi complained at Aomine.

"There's no point Momochhi. Their spirits have already been destroyed. Simply getting their hopes up will be a lost cause." Kise replied with a somber smile.

"What's gotten into you guys? If it were you in their place, Tetsu-kun would always support you! Now he needs our help!" Momoi retorted angrily, swinging her arms around in angry gestures.

"Doing so is futile Momoi. Akashi was unanimously made the captain of Teiko for a reason. Going against him will only result in failure, as has been proven during our game and this game as well." Midorima replied back at Momoi. "This match is already over."

Momoi bit her lip frustratingly, refusing to accept the truth.

" **Not yet**."


	2. Chapter 2: My True Potential

Chapter 2: My true potential

" **Not yet**."

Everyone turned to Kuroko, who was staring at Rakuzan's bench. He turned to face the members of Seirin. Although there was no emotion being portrayed on his face, everyone could see the determination in his eyes, his resolve to see this game through to the end.

"I want to keep playing. This match is not over yet." Kuroko continued.

"...Sorry Kuroko. But this match has already been decided." Kiyoshi said apologetically to Kuroko.

"There's no point in continuing. They have us beat in all ways. Even _I'm_ admitting it Kuroko. It's a lost cause..." Kagami replied, looking at the ceiling and hiding his emotions behind a stern face. Kuroko stared at Kagami for several seconds, before walking up to him.

SMACK

!

The members of Seirin and the GoM and their respective teams watched quietly in disbelief at what had just occurred, while Kagami merely held the top of his head in surprise.

Kuroko had walked up to Kagami and smacked Kagami on top of his head. Regardless of the lack of damage it did due, it got their attention. Kuroko looked at Kagami straight in the eye, full of unwavering determination.

"If you are giving up while I'm standing firm, then how can I remain as your shadow? Rather how can you even be considered a light that I am to shadow?" Kuroko asked.

Kagami sat there, unable to respond, be it from a lack of an answer or from the lingering shock of Kuroko's bold actions. After failing to hear an answer, Kuroko looked on to the whole team.

"If you've given up on continuing for the sake of victory, then do it for my sake." Kuroko said to all of Seirin

"I joined this team because I was happy with what I saw. I didn't just see a group of players coming together to enjoy themselves, what I saw was a _family_. When one member fell, you stayed back and picked them back up. You didn't favor, and you didn't permit any form of abandonment. I watched you play during my time in Teiko . Even when Kiyoshi-san was injured I watched as you remained strong for his sake." Kuroko lectured.

At this, Kiyoshi smiled to himself regardless of his fatigue, proud of his members.

"I envied what you all had, and so I made the decision to come here once I graduated. We may not be related through blood, but we ARE related through our feelings and love for basketball. Over the past season, we've developed a strong bond that has leaded us to where we stand, in battle for the top spot of Kyoto. I may not have been a member of Seirin last year, but I would like to consider myself a member of this famil-"

"Of course you're a part of this family!" Riko Aida interrupted Kuroko.

"Idiot, it doesn't matter how long you've been a part of this team." Hyuga followed Riko's interruption, while wiping his face with the bottom of his jersey and avoiding eye contact.

"It's like you said, you share the same feelings for basketball that we do. So don't even think for a second that you're not a part of this team." Hyuga said with a scowl that portrayed fake anger. Yet it was quite evident to everyone that Hyuga was proud of the team he led and was touched by Kuroko's words.

At their response, Kuroko smiled before continuing on. "Then I ask you to help me. I left Teiko and the GoM with but one goal, and that was to contradict their style of basketball. I disagree with their beliefs of victory being the only thing necessary. We did not play as a team, we only acted and played for ourselves and never truly established the bond I see before me. I want defeat to Akashi-kun here and now to prove two things, that this type of basketball is superior, and that his so-called assured victory is but a false illusion that has misguided the GoM in the past. So please, I beg of you to endure and strive till the end."

….

….

….

Kuroko ended on that note and waited for what seemed like an eternity before a reply was heard.

….

….

….

"You were there for us when we needed you." Kiyoshi replied with a smile on his face.

"When victory seemed like a dream against teams like Touou and Shuutoku, you provided us with a miracle, the light that we followed to victory. So now it's our turn to return the favor. For once, it seems like it's you who needs us, and I don't intend to keep it that way." Kiyoshi replied strongly while getting off the bench and raising a fist.

"Yosh!" Koganei yelled before following in Kiyoshi's footsteps. Slowly, one by one, the members of Seirin raised up, the will in their eyes revitalized once again.

"I don't think we've ever heard so many words come out of your mouth Tetsu!" Kagami laughed along with the rest of Seirin as he wrapped his right arm around Kuroko's neck.

"Someone needs to make up for all the talking you usually do Kagami-kun." Kuroko said with a smile as he looked up at Kagami.

Riko Aida laughed, tears threatening to fall from her eyes as she watched yet another phenomenon occur right before her very eyes.

"Aida-senpai" She snapped her head towards the direction of the voice, seeing Kuroko smiling at her while extending out a hand in her direction.

"We're going to need every single player to commit if we're going to win, especially a coach. Will you help us?" Kuroko asked to Aida while everyone looked at her expectantly.

Covering her eyes with her arms and wiping off any dangling tears, she looked back at Kuroko and nodded. "Mm!"

* * *

 **~Stands behind the bench~**

"Wow! Kurokocchi really is amazing neh senpai?" Kise asked the captain of Kaijou jubilantly with a twinkle of admiration at Kuroko in his eyes.

Although Kasamatasu didn't respond, it was evident that he was quite surprised by the turnout of the events; especially after the beat-down Rakuzan had served to Seirin. Midorima showed almost no reaction to the phenomenon, but a slight quirk of his lips moving upwards into a smile placed, an action that Takao had no failed to take notice of.

"Kuro-chin is really talkative today..." Murasakibara mumbled as he munched on some potato chips. "That's what you're concerned about?" Himuro responded with a hopeless smile.

Momoi laughed happily and smiled before looking at Aomine, who had an eyebrow raised in surprise.

"I think we all see why Tetsu-kun was going against the GoM now. I think I envy him a little. I can't help but find myself falling head over heels for him all over again!" Momoi said while resting her head on her arm and leaning over the stand's guard rails.

Aomine, seeing the smile Momoi had after seeing Kuroko, could not help but feel a twinge of depression and frowned; an action that went unnoticed by Momoi and the rest. "Yeah, he really is something ain't he…"

"Um..." The spectators and Seirin looked at where the voice came from. They all turned to see Mitobe, who shrunk from all the stares he received. "I hate to ruin the mood - and of course I want to win and continue to see this through as well!" Mitobe replied quickly before anyone could misunderstand his intentions to be negative and depressing.

"It's just that…. How are we going to beat them? I mean of course we can keep trying, but it won't be any different than before unless we all somehow boost our skills in the last 4 minutes of this timeout." Mitobe replied. The members of Seirin sat in silence at that thought, unable to come up with an answer.

They had gotten so caught up in the mood that they failed to realize the problem at hand.

"You won't have to boost your skills or anything." Everyone looked at Kuroko with confusion on their face, even Aida.

"While you have all been playing on-court, I've taken notice of several of their habits, some that can turn out to become fatal flaws that will lead us to victory."

!

The members of Seirin and the GoM were surprised by Kuroko's response.

At the stands, Momoi began giggling for a second at the sight, as if realizing something. The rest of the GoM and their respective teams looked at her, some being confused at what could have made her laugh in such a situation, while others were concerned that she found enjoyment in this one-sided match. Although they all were curious as to why she had laughed, Kise was the only one who bothered to ask.

"Neh Momochhi, what's so funny?" Kise asked at Momoi, who looked at him and then smiled softly. "I just realized. The fact that he noticed such things shows something. Even all this time, it seems he hadn't given up on his team, always looking for a way out!"

Realizing how correct Momoi was, Kise couldn't help but smile and chuckle. He looked out to the bench where Kuroko and the others were. "Unlike us, he hasn't changed at all has he?" Kise asked rhetorically, yet Momoi still answered.

"That's right. And I'm glad he hadn't. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been Tetsu-kun~" Momoi said while smiling brightly at Kise, her eyes squinted and cheeks tinted red. The hearts of Touou, Shuutoku and Kaijou players did 180s inside at the sight of Momoi's beautiful smile. They all shared a single thought.

' _C-Cuuuuute_ _!_ '

* * *

 **~Seirin Bench~**

"Well? Don't leave us hanging like this, tell us what you know Kuroko!" Hyuga urged Kuroko, desperate to gain some leverage on Rakuzan. Kuroko looked onto the court and stared at Rakuzan's bench.

"To start off with Mibuchi, it may be true that his skill as a shooter surpasses yours Hyuga-san, but it comes with a cost. He favors a certain set-up, where his right foot is planted slightly in front of his his set-up is unnaturally long." Kuroko stated. Hyuga merely stared confusingly. "But what does that have to do with beating him?" Hyuga asked. Riko Aida jumped in, as if realizing Kuroko's intentions.

"Basically, he needs to be in his comfort zone to shoot properly. Although it may seem difficult, you'll have to force him out of his comfort zone by not giving him a chance to establish his set-up." Riko Aida looked at Kuroko, as if confirming whether she had gotten his intention correct.

Kuroko his head in confirmation before continuing on. "As for Mayuzumi, Izuki will be better fit to guard him, what with his eagle eye in use. I'm confident that he'll be able to keep an eye on Mayuzumi as long as Mayuzumi is all that Izuki pays attention to. Just like me, if Mayuzumi loses his lack of presence, than his impact on the outcome will diminish directly."

Riko nodded and looked at Izuki. "Fine, Kawahara and Izuki. You two will be switching. Izuki, your eyes are to remain on no one but Mayuzumi. Even if the ball is in range of being stolen, don't take your eyes of him, or else he'll disappear and mis-direct the balls flow of movement."

Izuki nodded in confirmation.

"Kiyoshi-san won't be able to fend off Nebuya-san, what with his ankle injury acting up once again. Switching Kagami-kun onto Hayama-san will give him the option to double-team Nebuya from up-front. Hayama-san is not a shooter, so if he does get an open chance, he'll most likely take it into the hoop." Kuroko continued.

" And with Kagami-kun's superiority in jumping, he can easily block him when he comes up!" Aida exclaimed, starting to understand Kuroko's mentality. Kuroko looked at Kagami for confirmation, who did nothing but grin at Kuroko and nod his head in agreement.

"Um…" Everyone looked at Kawahara, who began shaking in his boots.

"Its not that I'm arguing but...cdoesn't that mean I'm to guard Akashi….." Kawahara began sweating fervently at the mere thought of having to do so.

' _I'll be made a fool out of in front of public! Even my family's watching…_ '

"That won't be necessary." Everyone looked at Kuroko, who held a determined glint in his eyes. He then looked at Riko, who was already aware of what he was going to ask.

"Switch me in for Kawahara-kun, senpai. I'll be the one to guard Akashi-kun."

!

The member of Seirin all held a face of shock and disbelief at Kuroko's actions. Up until now, all his decisions on reforming their defense had been logical, yet no one could see the reason behind his switch with Kawahara.

"Kuroko... although I can see why you're a better choice than Kawahara since you've played with Akashi and I have no intentions of diminishing your worth, what can you do without your lack of presence?" Aida asked questioningly at Kuroko.

….

Kuroko remained silent as if pondering over an answer. Several seconds later, he stared at her.

"Do you believe me?" He asked.

"…..Eh?" Aida said dumbly. Kuroko, seeing her lack of comprehension, smiled. "Do you trust me?" he asked. After several seconds, Aida smiled and nodded her head silently.

"Then trust me when I say this, I **will** bring our team back and win this match." Kuroko said. The members of Seirin did nothing but smile, not questioning Kuroko's conviction and intentions for a split-second.

"What do you plan to do then? It's not that we doubt you Kuroko, but if there's anyway we can help, then it's our job to assist our teammates. Just say the word!" Kiyoshi replied confidently at Kuroko while bumping his own chest with his right fist. Kuroko smiled at Kiyoshi and shook his head.

"No, I can do it on my own Kiyoshi-senpai. I've been thinking for awhile and I realized that I'm going to need to put it everything on the line if we're to win. All I ask is that you all just endure for the time being." And with that, Kuroko left and prepared to be subbed in.

Hyuga did nothing but stare in confusion. ' _What does he mean "everything", has he been holding back? But that's impossible, he hasn't shown any trump card, even against Touou who we barely managed to beat._ ' Hyuga did nothing but shake the thoughts out of his head, focusing on the task at hand; stopping Mibuchi. Although he hardly had any confidence in his abilities to stop Mibuchi, he trusted Kuroko, and planned to rely on that to bring them to victory.

"Why do you continue to defy me?"

!

At the sound of the new voice, the Seirin members turned their head, shock written on their faces as Akashi had walked his way over to their bench. Kuroko held no reaction as he stared intently at him.

"Akashi-kun."

"Tell me. Why do you defy my will yet again? Our promise remains intact, yet I see no reason for the continuation of your struggle, as the one who is superior has already been decided. If this were Midorima or Aomine I was referring to, choosing to endure would seem logical, but for you, who dominates only in the aspect of assisting others, does not have any possible way of showing superiority to me." Akashi lectured Kuroko, completely ignoring the rest of the members of, much to their chagrin.

"Oi, what makes you think you can just waltz in here?" Kagami yelled at Akashi, who gave no response to his question, as if ignoring his actual presence.

….

….

"Hey! Quit it with the silent treatment you ba-" " **Quiet** "

Kagami and the members of Seirin flinched at Akashi's overpowering voice that seemed to amplify his presence in front of them, and produced what seemed as a hallucination of an overpowering aura around Akashi. Akashi turned and glared at Kagami, who couldn't help but sweat and feel slightly queasy under the harsh and sinister glare that screamed danger.

"My conversation is with Tetsuya and Tetsuya alone; as such it is of none of your concern. I see no reason to establish a conversation with you." And with that, Akashi returned his attention to Kuroko, who kept on a poker face throughout the whole situation.

"Answer my question Tetsuya . I'm currently unable to devise the answer for myself and thus, I demand to know the reason behind your futile actions." Akashi kept on a neutral face, with Kuroko returning the expression while the Seirin members looked on in concern for Kuroko's response and its outcome.

"I have a goal that I want to accomplish and that includes winning this match." Kuroko glared at Akashi, who remained unfazed, before continuing on. "This is a battle of wills and skill. I'll show you our superior concept of basketball and the flaws of your style." Akashi glared at Kuroko while the members of Seirin began sweating unconsciously due to the tension in the air.

"Regardless of what your goal is, it revolves around your need to achieve victory in this match, but I fail to see such a future. Your loss is imminent and the difference in our skills is clearly eviden-

" **Don't speak as if you understand me.** " Kuroko's eyes hardened while they portrayed a glare that was clearly directed at Akashi. The members of Seirin and GoM flinched at Kuroko's reaction, unaware that Kuroko had such a side to his personality. Coming from Kuroko, who was naturally quite the calm and quiet boy, this form of outburst had clearly caught everyone off guard. Akashi had been no exception, although he merely raised an eyebrow at Kuroko's response.

To top it all off, this was _Seijuro Akashi_ he was speaking to, the man who even Murasakibara took orders from without any argument. Such a tone coming from Kuroko and being directed at Akashi were two things that no one had expected.

" **In Teiko, you stopped caring our relationship. You, Kise-kun, Aomine-kun, Midorima-kun and Murasakibara-kun, ALL of you paid no attention to the suffering Momoi-san and I went through. And when my passes were no longer needed** …"

At this point, Kuroko looked at the ground, avoiding eye contact with everybody. While no one could see it, his glare was gone and his voice took on a softer and quieter tone. "When I was no longer needed, you just threw me aside, victory being all you cared about…."

Although no one had looked directly at them, Kise and Aomine still looked away, a somber expression written all over their face. Momoi, while not being involved in the personal conflict between the GoM players, was also aware of the situation and looked at Kuroko sympathetically, understanding the pain that she too was forced to endure.

Kuroko looked back at Akashi, the usual poker face missing and being replaced by an emotion that everyone could only assume was Kuroko being angry, something that was practically never seen on his face, albeit the time with Kirisaki Daichi.

"So please don't act like you understand me Akashi-kun. I've changed from back then. I'll prove to you just how much I've changed, and I'll show you what you all lost when you chose to throw me aside." Kuroko finished with an unwavering glare that rivaled Akashi's current one.

The tension at the moment reached an all time high, where literally everyone in the stadium was aware and watching the two stare each other down. Seirin, who was on the bench next to them, were forced to endure the overwhelming pressure, squirming and sweating from anxiety and stress due to the intensity.

* * *

 **~Momoi's POV~**

Momoi, for the first time in all her life, witnessed an angry Kuroko. She had not been present during the game with Kirisaki Daichi, and thus had not seen Kuroko's outrage at their dirty play. Even back when they played in Teiko, she had never seen Kuroko lose his cool. The quiet and mysterious teenager had never been one to show his anger, at least not in public. And in that split second, she came to a conclusion.

Alongside his depressing face, this was one emotion that she felt was not meant for Kuroko.

During their time in Teiko, Kuroko and Momoi were both forced to endure the stress from the drastic changes the GoM was going through. When they all became cold-hearted and narrow-minded towards victory, Kuroko had been the one to maintain his personality, and Momoi sought for warmth and relief in that. She had concluded that when she had asked him that question on that fateful day…

 _Flashback-_

 _A younger Momoi Satsuki was walking alongside Kuroko Tetsuya as they walked home from practice. While Satsuki would normally being squealing inside and fawning over Kuroko walking her home, such a thing was uncalled for at the moment, with the GoM's issues fresh on both their minds._

 _Momoi halted in her tracks, with Kuroko walking a bit further before noticing her lack of presence alongside him. It seems that he too had been deeply immersed in thought, most likely about the same issue._

" _Momoi-san?" Kuroko called out to Satsuki, who kept her head down._

" _Tetsu-kun…." Satsuki looked up at Kuroko, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "We're going to be okay right? Everyone, we're going to stay together right?" Satsuki looked at Kuroko pleadingly, searching for the answer she hoped for and any hope in his eyes._

 _Kuroko froze in his tracks. To be honest, he himself had been wondering the same thing. He was so lost and no idea what to do either. He was fully aware of what was wrong with the GoM, yet had no idea on how to fix it. Kuroko debated on whether he should comfort Momoi or outright tell her the truth._

 _But then he looked at her , noticing her tearing eyes and desperate face, and the decision had been made at once. Kuroko smiled softly and walked up to her._

 _!_

 _Satsuki's stiffened in surprise at Kuroko, who walked up to her and held her in his arms. Looking up, she noticed the smile on his face and his bright eye, full of comfort; she could not help but smile as well. "Of course Momoi-san. We're always going to stay together, no matter what." Kuroko paused before adding on. "And if not, just remember that I will be here "_

 _Although she noticed the doubt in his voice, she chose to accept his answer and bask in the warmth he provided. She snuggled up close and responded to his hug, placing her arms that were tucked in on his shoulder and held tightly._

 _Flashback end-_

And he had kept that promise. While they did end up splitting up, he had kept his promise and been there for her. When she had come to him for support after Aomine snapped at her, he had welcomed her with open arms. He had remained as the pillar she leaned on when she was stressed and the served as the path she followed when she was lost. When he had broken down after the GoM split, she felt the frustration he had held pent up inside. The tears on his face brought tears to hers as she wept frustrated at her inability to be there for him like he was for her. Yet she knew that she alone would not be able to fill the void that all five members of GoM had left in him when they practically abandoned him.

And she hated herself when she chose to follow Aomine to Touou rather than be with Kuroko when he himself seemed lost. And when she told him, she felt frustrated at the smile on Kuroko's face when he said he completely understood and wished her the best of luck. Although she had been split between supporting Aomine and Kuroko, her conscience pressured her to follow her childhood friend, saying that Kuroko would be able to take care of himself.

Looking at him now, she could conclude that her conscience had been right. But she could not help but feel regret at how distant their relationship became, which had been evident when they re-united and questioned how it would've been if she followed Kuroko. She imagined herself down there on the bench with Seirin, alongside Kuroko and smiling at the family in front of her. As such, she looked at Aomine and wondered how he would react if she chose to transfer to Seirin.

* * *

 **~Back to Seirin bench~**

Akashi and Kuroko maintained their glares at each other. Akashi, while impressed at Kuroko's boldness and development, did not portray such feelings and remained silent. After some time, he turned around and began walking back to his bench, but tilted his his head sideways so his voice was heard as he walked away.

"That face is not meant for you Tetsuya… Someone who is below me has no right to stare down at me. I hope you realize it before it's too late." And with that he walked down the court to his bench. The referee signaled the thirty second warning.

Kuroko turned around to Aida. "Please sub me in senpai. We're running out of time." Riko Aida, like the rest of Seirin was still in shock at Kuroko's outburst and what had just happened.

" **Senpai.** " Riko shook her head out of the trance and looked at Kuroko. "Uh… Y-Yeah. Sure, but are you alright." Aida had been concerned after witnessing Kuroko's outburst, not sure of how to react to his new side of personality.

Kuroko nodded his head and responded. "I'm fine senpai, just please hurry and signal the substitution before it's too late.

The referee blew the whistle, signaling the end of Rakuzan's timeout.

"Black Team! Substitution!" The referee yelled. While Rakuzan had made no adjustments, Seirin chose to make a substitution.

!

To say everyone was shocked at their substitution was an understatement. "Are you frikin' kidding me?" Aomine said with wide-eyes as the rest of the spectators watched with jaws gaping at Seirin's decision.

"What does he plan to do..." Kise talked to himself, yet it was quite evident that they were all sharing a similar thought. Momoi brought a hand up to her mouth and muffled out a name. "Tetsu-kun..."

On court, Akashi's eyes widened, yet he maintained his posture as the surprise in his eyes diminished. He walked up to their substitution. "I was aware of your desire to act, but I did not expect you to act to rashly and impulsively Tetsuya."

Kuroko responded by merely adjusting Ogiwara's wristbands on his wrist and glared at Akashi. "I meant it when I said I changed." The referee blew the whistle, signaling the start of the third quarter. "Now I'll show you. My **true** potential.


	3. Chapter 3: The Comeback is Real

Chapter 3: Kuroko in Zone? Comeback is Real

The 3rd quarter had begun recently with the score being 60-34 in Rakuzan's favor. Although Seirin had gained a huge morale boost and some momentum from Kuroko, they were still slacking behind in score, while Kuroko had yet to reveal any secrets. Nebuya inbounded the ball to Akashi, who began dribbling down court while eyeing all players on-court. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get Kuroko out of his mind.

' _Almost 2 minutes have passed, what is Tetsuya planning? This can't possibly be what he was referring to when he mentioned showing his true potential_ '

Shaking off the thought, he focused back in-game, where Kagami had confronted him. Noticing the fire and glint in Kagami's eyes, Akashi's eyes narrowed slightly. "When will you learn that you cannot possibly overcome me? Entering the zone is futile and you're merely speeding up the inevitable." Akashi spoke to Kagami.

Kagami lowered down in his stance in response and _growled._ Akashi raised an eyebrow at Kagami's reaction, clearly unfazed by Kagami's intimidation. "Hmmm, you really do resemble a wild beast. One that lacks common sense, that is. Truly a befitting comparison."

"It doesn't matter if I can't beat you, that's what my teammates are for. And I have faith in Kuroko. he's brought us out of a drop before, he can do it again." Kagami replied to Akashi with a feral grin. Akashi narrowed his eyes menacingly at Kagami. "I doubt someone of youe capability would understand, but _I_ was the one who unleashed Tetsuya's latent potential. If there is anyone who knows his limits, it's _me._

Kagami smirked at Akashi's comment. "Hmph, for a guy who's responsible for Kuroko's development, you don't seem to know him at all. I don't know what he was like back at Teiko, but if he says he'll bring us back then you better believe _he'll bring us back_.

Akashi's eye twitched slightly as he began losing patience. He made a split decision to snap a one-handed pass to Hayama, yet failed to notice one thing. He failed to notice how alongside Mayuzumi, _Kuroko_ had also somehow gone missing from the court, his presence completely fading. Hayama held out his hands in order to catch the ball….

!

All the players and specators watched in shock as Kuroko seemed to pop out of nowhere and steal the ball. It took a second for the Seirin starters to comprehend what just happened before responding.

"A- A STEAL! Fast break, go GO!" Hyuga screamed as they ran down court. Mayuzumi stepped in front of Kuroko in order to halt his progress. He blinked for a second...

and his eyes widened when he saw that Kuroko had vanished from in front of him.

"Mayuzumi! Behind you, you dumbass!" Nebuya screamed at Mayuzumi who turned his head to see Kuroko pull of for the famous phantom shot right after performing a flawless Vanishing Drive. A ring sounded throughout the stadium as two points were added to Seirin on the scoreboard. 60-36

"Uwoohhhhh! WOW! Seirin scored!"

"But where did he come from to get the steal, it's like he teleported!"

"AND he scored right after. Seirin is still in this!"

The crowd began going wild at Kuroko's spontaneous ferocity in the 3rd Quarter.

"He… He did it… He scored! Kuroko scored! We're still in this!" Koganei screamed and jumped off the bench from Seirin's bench, the others following in his footsteps.

"Shut up! Don't get your hopes up just yet. We're still behind by double digits." Riko Aida scolded the members of Seirin. Yet, she was unable to restrain the smile that danced across her face at Kuroko's success. While scolding them, only one thought went through her head.

' _We have a chance. We have a chance! We can still win!_ '

* * *

 **~Spectating Stands~**

"Wh- What just…What just happened?" Kasamatsu asked to no one in particular, since they were all thinking the same thing.

"Kurokocchi…. vanished?" Kise said afterwards. Even the members of GoM were at a lack of words, this phenomenon being one that even Midorima was unable to comprehend. "Not only did he vanish from everyone's sight, he also managed to perform a flawless Vanishing Drive on _Mayuzumi_ of all people, the so-called new model of the Phantom Sixth Man." Midorima said after Kise.

"AND, he followed that up with Phantom Shot instantaneously right afterwards…." Aomine said after Midorima.

Momoi watched alongside the others. While she too was speechless at Kuroko's outburst like the others, a smile stretched across her face as she brought a hand up to her mouth, muffling her words again. "Tetsu-kun…"

* * *

 **~On-Court~**

"…. The fuck just happened?" Nebuya was the first to respond to Kuroko's sudden outburst of skill. Rakuzan remained in shock as they were unable to properly comprehend what had actually occurred. Had it not happened right in front of them, they wouldn't have believed it.

"Hey hey, how did he get past Mayuzumi just like that huh? I thought you had him covered Mayuzumi, what the hell!" Hayama complained at Mayuzumi who was at a loss for words. "I…I don't…know…"

"Forget the scoring…how did he even get the steal? I don't recall him being near the ball. Actually I don't recall him even _being on the court_ " Mibuchi said quietly, trying to process the thoughts in his head.

"So he _vanished_? What the fuck?! I thought we got passed that already, Akashi! What the hell is going on?!" Nebuya roared at Akashi who was deeply immersed in his thoughts and did not respond.

….

….

"Oi Akashi, what's goin-" " **Quiet.** " Nebuya flinched at Akashi's silent outburst.

"Your rage is not misplaced. Tetsuya should not be able to vanish off the court just like that. His lack of presence should have faded away by now." Akashi said to his teammates while trying to find the answer to the questions.

"It's quite simple really, Akashi-kun."

!

The members of Rakuzan turned their heads to Kuroko, who had overheard their conversation. "Throughout my time in Seirin, I was aware that losing my lack of presence may have occurred. My lack of presence is not something I was born it, its something I _gained._ And anything that can be gained can also be _re-_ gained."

Akashi eyes widened as reality hit him. He narrowed his eyes at Kuroko menacingly. "You restored your lack of presence? Such a thing should not be possible."

Kuroko kept his poker face on under Akashi's glare. "You should know of all people that it is Akashi-kun. After all, you were the one who helped me master it."

Akashi glared at Kuroko's boldness, watching him as he walked back to his side of the court.

"It's fine Akashi-kun" Mibuchi tried to soothe Akashi's rising anger. "We still have a good 20+ lead. As long as we can maintain it, then this won't be a problem."

Mibuchi was met with a silent response.

….

….

"I will be guarding Tetsuya. Mayuzumi, switch on Kagami and the rest maintain your positions." The rest nodded their head, as Akashi's voice demanded total obedience and no refusal. Nebuya inbounded the ball to Akashi, who immediately passed it to a confused Hayama. "Akashi-kun…?" Hayama called out to Akashi, confused by his pass.

"Take point for now, I'm going to keep an eye on Tetsuya to see just how exactly he's vanishing." Akashi ordered to Hayama, whose eyes hardened and nodded his head. "Got it." Hayama replied before dribbling down the court. Akashi kept his eyes on Kuroko who returned the stare. Kuroko began backpedaling slowly, weaving in and out of the players.

It happened gradually yet quickly. Kuroko began blurring out of sight, the contour of his body blurring as he continued to weave between players. And at one point, Kuroko weaved behind Kiyoshi... and did not reappear.

' _What's going on? It's like he's literally fading away as he walks._ ' Akashi's eyes widened. It was as if Kuroko had teleported in the second that Kiyoshi walked in front of him. He was brought back to reality by the sound of a buzzer. He turned just in time to see Kagami land from a dunk. It took him a second to deduce what had occurred.

Kuroko vanished and stole the ball from behind Hayama.

Closing his hand into a fist, he launched a cyclone pass that bounced off the floor down the court to where Kagami was already waiting.

Kagami retrieved the pass as it went straight into his hands and leaped for an open dunk.

All of this happened within the span of 5-7 seconds as Akashi remained on the other side of the court, dumbfounded. Mibuchi looked at Akashi, looking for an answer as to how Kuroko had disappeared.

Akashi merely shook his head, having a lack of an answer to his newfound lack of presence. "What the fuck…." Nebuya cursed to himself, grinding his teeth. Not only had Seirin begun to score again, they stole Rakuzan's momentum, not to mention that Hyuga and Kiyoshi seemed to have found a way to halt Mibuchi's and Nebuya's offensive progress.

"If there's nothing we can do, then so be it, we will merely have to overpower them offensively. Restrain from passing to much and call out a warning if Kuroko vanishes from the court again." Akashi ordered to the 4 remaining members on court. He then looked directly at Mayuzumi.

"Remain in your position on Kagami. Kuroko will most likely provide him with the ball. If we can halt Kagami's progress, then their offensive momentum should decrease drastically." Mayuzumi nodded his head in response and walked down the court.

Nebuya inbounded the ball to Akashi once more, who began dribbling down the court. ' _As long as I hold the ball and Tetsuya remains on me, he cannot vanish off the court._ ' Akashi smirked at the thought, feeling confident that he found a solution to their problem. If he could not find out how Kuroko had vanished, then he would merely force Kuroko to stay in front of him.

After confirming Kuroko's location in front of him, Akashi lookd away for a second and snapped a one-handed pass to the left corner of the court where Mibuchi stood. Out of nowhere Mayuzumi appeared with a hand on the ball, intending to mis-direct the ball towards Nebuya's direction in the key.

!  
!

All of a sudden, another hand appeared on the ball opposite of Mayuzumi's hand, preventing Mayuzumi from pushing the ball towards Nebuya. Mayuzumi looked up too see Kuroko on the other side of the ball, with his hair covering his eyes.

Akashi's eyes widened as he looked in front of him, where Kuroko had vanished from. The second he looked towards Mibuchi to pass the ball, Kuroko had seemingly vanished. '... _Regardless, Mayuzumi surpasses Tetsuya in every physical aspect, so pushing the ball passed him should not provide a problem_ ' Akashi thought.

Nevertheless, Mayuzumi found himself struggling to push the ball past Kuroko's hand. "…what...ugh... the hell is going on?" Mayuzumi asked to no one in particular, yet Kuroko responded.

"Mayuzumi-san."

Mayuzumi looked up to see Kuroko raise his head and look him directly in the eyes. He flinched at the cold gaze Kuroko offered, yet still found fiery determination circulating those cold eyes. Kuroko continued.

"You are superior to me in every aspect physically, but that does not make you a better Phantom Sixth. Not just anyone can dedicate themselves to the shadows of the court so easily. The Phantom Sixth Man is a title bestowed to me directly, and it is on I do not intend to give up so easily. Your superior physique is no match for the overpower difference in skill." And at that point, Mayuzumi began to find it difficult to restrain the ball from flying past him, rather than pushing it forward.

" **Please do not underestimate my skills** "

The last thing Mayuzumi saw was a familiar glint in Kuroko's eyes, one that resembled that of Kagami's before the ball was pushed out of his hand, no his whole arm as he was thrown back from the impact.

Rather than beat Mayuzumi in full throttle, Kuroko curved his hand downwards as he met Mayuzumi's opposing hand, forcing the ball to slide down Mayuzumi's sweaty hands. As a result, the ball slid off of Mayuzumi's hands, and richocheted past him, with Kuroko's hand now being the only force acting on the ball. Mayuzumi looked to see the ball rocket its way to the other end of the court, to where Hyuuga was set up for a clean and easy three-pointer.

 _Swish_

Score: 60 - 38

….

….

' _What...the hell just happened_ ' was the mutual thought that ran through literally every single person in the stadium excluding Kuroko.

"He just overpowered Mayuzumi so easily." Koganei muttered as the members of Seirin looked on wordlessly, finding no words to describe the phenomenon in front of them. Akashi's eyes widened slightly before he turned to Kuroko, who was coincidentally looking at him.

"I'm not the same person who I used to be Akashi-kun." Kuroko said with a determined smile as he jogged back onto defense.

* * *

~ **Spectators~**

Back at the bench and stands, Aomine's face filled with shock and utter disbelief as he muttered, "He's entered the zone…." Kise and Midorima perked up, hearing this.

"Eh? What was that Aominecchi?" Kise asked, refusing to believe what he heard.

Aomine's eyes widened as he kept his eyes on Kuroko. "Tetsu… He's entered the zone… you can tell from the glint in his eyes and that aura surrounding him." Kise looked towards the court where Kuroko was standing and as Aomine had said, a sky blue colored glint was found in Kuroko's eyes.

"I- It's just like with Kagami and Murasakibara…" Midorima mumbled.

Riko Aida, picking up on what Aomine said, dropped her clipboard in shock. "Kuroko… entered the zone? But…I thought the chance of a person entering the zone was practically 1 in a million…"

"It is." Aomine spoke loudly enough that everyone there heard. "What do you mean it is Aomine-kun? How does that explain how Kuroko is doing it?" Imayoshi asked.

"The reason the zone is so difficult to obtain is because of the requirements. The only people who can use it as of now excluding Tetsu, is Bakagami, Murasakibara and me. The only reason **we** can use it is because of our extraordinary physique. Our physical traits are above the average, making it possible for us to enter the zone. The reason most people can't enter it is because of the strain it puts on the body. Without a durable body, a person can't last in the zone for even 2 minutes." Aomine lectured the GoM and their respective teams on the secrets behind zone.

"But Kurokocchi is as frail as a toddler. So how is he able to enter the zone? And what does it have to do with Kurokocchi being able to repel Mayuzumi's passes?" Kise asked Aomine, earning to gain more knowledge on the zone.

Aomine raised an eyebrow at Kise's sudden interest. "Don't get your hopes up on achieving zone. I know I said that it requires a strong, durable body, but that's not all. It requires a strong mentality as well. It took me 2 years to achieve, and the only reason Kagami was able to reach it was because of Tetsu's words of encouragement during our game. My only guess is that Tetsu's high mentality made up for his fragile body."

"But what about Tetsu-kun's ability to suddenly reject Mayuzumi's passes and launch a ball across court **directly** into the hoop?" Momoi asked Aomine.

"He has to have found another way. It's clear that Kuroko's strenght, at the least, hasn't necessarily changed too much." Midorima said with a definite voice. Takao, still in shock at what he just saw, was drawn right out of his trance. "But we just saw him overpower Mayuzumi. There's no way the Kuroko we played against could have done that."

Midorima merely shook his head, denying Takao's statement. "You're right that Kuroko could not have done it back then, and he certainly can't do it now. You all must have missed it, but he didn't overpower Mayuzumi. He redirected the ball."

Himuro, who had also seen it all go down in-depth, dove into the conversation as well. "While his right hand was still on the ball, Kuroko angled his hand downwards, and so a component of the force he was exerting was dedicated to pushing the ball _down_ rather than forward. Once it slid off Mayuzumi's hand, there was nothing stopping Kuroko from bouncing it down the court."

"Still, it's crazy that Zone is basically like a muscle enhancement for somebody even like Kuroko." Kasamatsu muttered. A majority of everyone there was still struggling to comprehend the fact that this was _Kuroko_ they were seeing on the court. If it were Kagami, it'd be a different question. Hell, it could have even been Hyuuga or Kiyoshi, it still wouldn't have been so dumbfounding as if it were Kuroko.

"The zone doesn't exactly affect the player physically. The change is more mental since it attacks the nervous system and its coordination with the muscular system." Aomine stated casually.

"E- Eh?" Momoi was taken aback by Aomine's sudden use of large vocabulary and intelligent wording. Aomine merely raised an eyebrow at Momoi's reaction.

"Aominecchi, are you feeling ok? You don't feel sick or anything do you?" Kise asked truly concerned as he placed a hand on Aomine's forehead. Aomine smacked his hand away annoyingly.

"O- Oi! Quit it, what are you so surprised about?! Do you take me for an idiot or something?!" Aomine yelled at the group, while the members of Touou sweatdropped at their ace's treatment. "I don't think you want that question answered…" Midorima muttered under his breath while re-adjusting his glasses with his taped hands.

A vein popped out on Aomine's head, before he shook his head and focused back on the game. "Gahhh screw you. As I was saying, the zone doesn't affect our bodies physically. Naturally the mind has…well I guess you can call it a limiter or something. It basically prevents our body from exerting ourselves to the point where our bodies begin to suffer from atrophy. Entering the zone destroys those 'limiters' allowing our body to reach new levels and enhancing our physical abilities. Something about increase in adrenaline and other chemical bullshit..."

Aomine muttered the last sentence, seeing the dumbfounded look on almost everyone's faces. First Kuroko entering the Zone, not Aomine have an extensive knowledge on basically anything other than playing basketball. Today was just an overwhelming day altogether.

"That would normally explain Kuroko's sudden outburst of strength. Yet how come you never displayed such change?" Midorima asked, still unsatisfied with his lack of knowledge on the zone.

"Normally the zone affects the dominant aspect of the body's physical traits. For me, it would be my speed and agility, while it would be jump vertical for Kagami. So naturally, the zone specifically releases the mind's restraint on the calf muscles, allowing us to apply more force on them. Generally this would enable us to move faster and jump higher." Aomine explained, his focus back on the game that had resumed.

"And Tetsu-kun?" Momoi inquired. "What about him? How is the Zone affecting him?" Unlike Aomine and Kagami, Kuroko's only unique ability revolved around his presence, which wasn't exactly connected to his physique too much.

"But in Tetsu's case, he doesn't seem to have a dominant aspect, considering his frail body. So my only guess is that entering the zone allows him to release **ALL** restraints on the body, enhancing his abilities far more than ours." Aomine answered.

"I-I see… heh heh…" Momoi laughed nervously, still not used to this new and intelligent side to Aomine.

' _I don't think I could get used to Dai-chan talking like this…_ '

Suddenly a thought came into her mind.

"Aomine-kun, you mentioned something about the body normally suffering, resulting in the establishment of the restraints. So does that mean…." Momoi trailed off.

Aomine, understanding her concerns and question, answered.

"Yeah, while in the zone, our body suffers from the overexertion it's put through. The zone doesn't just release the restraints; it enhances our abilities **even further**. So naturally, our bodies would suffer from the exhaustion. That's why our bodies need to be exceptionally fit to use it. Even now, Bakagami and I suffer from sluggishness and delayed reactions as it is…" Aomine trailed off, suddenly deeply immersed in thought.

"Aomine-kun…? What are you thinking about?" Momoi asked concerned about what was wrong. She was worried about what the zone would do to Kuroko, especially because of his frail body…. Her eyes widened in realization. It seems that Aomine had reached the same conclusion as his eyes also widened and he leaned over the rail.

"THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING TETSU!?"

* * *

 **~General POV~**

"THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING TETSU!?"

Everyone's head turned towards Aomine, including the players on court.

"Aominecchi, what is it? What's wrong?" Kise asked, rather demanded, concerned about Kuroko's well-being.

"Like I said, the zone takes an enormous toll on the body of the given player. But that's for players like **US** , as in me, Kagami and Murasakibara. What do you think entering the zone would do to someone like Tetsu, who has a body weaker than even an average one?" Aomine asked rhetorically.

Kise's and Midorima's eyes widened in realization at what Aomine was implying, and they joined Aomine and Momoi by the railing, while their team members watched in confusion, some turning to faces of realization now and then at what Aomine had meant.

"Kurokocchi, what are you thinking?!" Kise yelled at Kuroko, who seemed to intentionally ignore their words as he kept his focus on the court. By now, the third quarter had ended, with the score being 64-58 in Rakuzan's favor with Seirin catching up drastically. Currently, all of Seirin was on the bench with Hyuga and Kiyoshi were trying to persuade Kuroko into re-considering his options.

"Kuroko! Don't be foolish. You're only going to injure yourse-" Midorima was interrupted by Kuroko before he could finish.

" **Please stop.** " Everyone seemed to flinch again at Kuroko's sudden cold outburst.

"You showed no concern for me back in Teiko, and there's no need to change now." The members of GoM were hit with yet another wave of shame, after being reminded again of their past treatment of Kuroko during their days in Teiko. Kise looked down in shame while Midorima simply closed his mouth and kept silent and Aomine merely grinded his teeth together.

"We're going to win this match, and if it means having to endure pain for some time, than I will gladly offer my body's well-being." Kuroko continued. Momoi brought a hand to her mouth as her eyes watered. "But why….. Why go so far… I-I don't want to see you get hurt Tetsu-kun…"

Kuroko looked towards Momoi and his harsh glare softened to a small smile.

"Because their effort makes the pain worth it. I'm sorry Momoi-san, but please bear with me for this one last quarter." Kuroko smiled at Momoi apologetically, fully aware of her concern and frustration at seeing Kuroko suffer. Momoi merely turned away, refusing to let Kuroko see the tears fall from her face.

"Kuroko, please re-consider. There's no need for you to go so far just to win. There's always next year." Kiyoshi pleaded with Kuroko, but his words fell on deaf ears. Kuroko shook his head and smiled slightly before returning to his usual poker-face.

"I've though about it Kiyoshi-senpai. I've had the first two whole quarters to come to this decision. And this isn't about just winning. I have to win this if I'm to prove to Akashi-kun the importance of friendship and teamwork on a basketball team." Kuroko replied.

"Kuroko, as much as I applaud your determination, I cannot allow you to do such a thing. As the coach, it's my responsibility to look out for the players' wellbeing. And if I allow for you to continue when the consequences are so fatal, I would never forgive myself. I'll force you into a substitution if I have t-"

" **No**."

At this point, no one was really surprised considering how much different Kuroko had become during the last 36 minutes, yet the flinch was always present. Kuroko's voice softened as quick as it had hardened, though as he continued.

"Please senpai, regardless of the fact that we cannot win without it, this is something I need to do personally, something that I need to prove." Kuroko pleaded with Riko Aida, who chewed on her bottom lip nervously. All of Seirin looked at the coach, who would make the final decision. After a minute or so, she looked up at Kuroko.

"Okay. Just…Just don't overdo it. If I see that you're struggling out there, you're out in the next second, got it?" Riko Aida looked at Kuroko sternly, as if challenging him to argue. Luckily for her, it didn't seem like he intended to. Kuroko smiled at his coach and nodded. "Mm, understood. Thank you, senpai."

The referee blew the whistle, signaling the end of the break and the start of the 4th Quarter. The starting members of both teams walked onto the court. Kiyoshi inbounded the ball to Izuki, who began dribbling down the court. Kuroko held his position in the right corner of the court by the three-point line, where Akashi had marked him.

"I commend you for entering the zone Tetsuya." Kuroko switched his focus from the Izuki and the ball, to Akashi who began talking him. Akashi turned his head to look Kuroko directly in the eyes before continuing.

"But merely overpowering me with the zone alone will not give the opportunity to win the game. Such a narrow-minded conclusion will merely result in your downfall." Akashi said to Kuroko, who turned his gaze away from Akashi back to the ball.

"You misunderstand Akashi-kun. The purpose for entering the zone isn't just stop you, but the rest of Rakuzan." Kuroko corrected Akashi. Akashi raised an eyebrow at Kuroko, before narrowing his eyes menacingly, giving Kuroko a deadly glare.

"What are you implying Tetsuya?" Kuroko returned his gaze to Akashi for a second. "What I am saying Akashi-kun…is that I no longer need the use of the zone to beat you." Akashi's eyes widened at Kuroko's challenge. At that second Kuroko disappeared and set a pick on Mibuchi for Hyuga to go threw.

"Such a foolish challenge Tetsuya, getting past me will not be so easy!" Akashi responded to the pick by adjusting his mark, and guarding Hyuga while Mibuchi attempted to keep an eye on Kuroko.

Akashi smiled slightly and confidently, preparing the strip the ball from Hyuga. At that split second an image of Kuroko appeared in the corner of his eye, unconsciously stealing his attention. Akashi found himself at a shock once again as Hyuga vanished from in front of him and reappeared behind, pulling up for yet another shot to score. The buzzer rang once again, signaling a point as the score changed from 60-51 to 60-53.

' _Was that…misdirection overflow? But that shouldn't be possible with another shadow like Mayuzumi on court. Even if Kuroko is superior, the appearance of another shadow should have stolen away attention from Kuroko_ ' Akashi thought to himself. He was woken out of his trance by the sound of Hayama's voice.

"Neh neh, Akashi what's gotten into you? You practically just let Hyuga walk past you!" Akashi's eyes widened at the statement. He looked towards Mibuchi, who held a concerned look on his face. "Didn't you notice Hyuga vanish?" Akashi questioned Mibuchi, who shook his head in denial.

"Hyuga never vanished at all. That's impossible, he just drove past you. Are you sure you're okay Akashi, you seemed off the second you switched onto Hyuga." Mibuchi said, speaking for the rest of Rakuzan. Akashi merely shook the thoughts out of his head and chose to speak to Kuroko the next chance he had.

During Seirin's next offensive play, Kuroko brought the ball up the court with Akashi waiting down-court for him. The second Kuroko arrived, Akashi dropped down to a defensive stance and his dichromatic eyes flashed, signaling the activation of the Emperor's Eye.

"What have you done Tetsuya?! Have you actually managed to activate the effects of misdirection overflow on a single person? Such a thing should not be possible!" Akashi glared at Kuroko, who merely stood there dribbling the ball.

"I didn't. I just demonstrated the weakness of you ability." Akashi narrowed his eyes at Kuroko's declaration. "What are you referring to, my Emperor's Eye has **no** weakness." Akashi gritted his teeth as he denied Kuroko's claim harshly.

"Your Emperor's Eye reads every movement and aspect of the targeted player, from physical movement to even the slightest heartbeat. For someone whose perception is so exceptionally advanced, directing your attention is simple." At this point, Kuroko threw a bounce pass down the right sight of the court, to Hyuuga who faced off against Mibuchi.

"Such a thing does not require the use of my misdirection overflow. I don't need to be the center of attention to just steal the attention from you. Your one weakness…is **ME**." Kuroko declared confidently.

Akashi's eyes widened at Kuroko's claim, realizing the logic behind it and its validity. For someone like him, who's eyes were sensitive to the slightest movement, Kuroko, who specialized in distraction, could easily take up all of Akashi's attention. For once in his life, he had been outsmarted and was left speechless. Yet before he could respond, Kuroko had continued. Akashi was brought out of shock by Kuroko's next few words.

"And there is yet another weakness that I've spotted."

"What? Another weakness?" Akashi said disbelievingly. As if sensing Akashi's disbelief, Kuroko reiterated on what he said.

"Your other weakness is your predictability and your ability itself. Your Emperor's Eye allows you to react with god-like reflexes to any change. But that can be used by someone to their advantage, like I just did previously and by predicting your movements." At that point, Kuroko planted his left feet back in order to push off in the right direction. Akashi, taking notice of this, shifted his body to cut off Kuroko on his right side and steal the ball from his right hand.

Akashi was blown passed though, as Kuroko predicted this and feinted right; instead going left. Akashi's eyes widened in surprise at the fake he so easily fell for. As Kuroko passed by Akashi, he met his gaze and said something. "For someone like me, who has played with you for three years in Teiko, reading and predicting your movement is child's play."

Kuroko blew past Akashi and set up for another Phantom shot. Nebuya, taking notice of this, jumped forward on impulse in order to block Kuroko. Kuroko, having predicted this as well, faked the shot and threw a pocket bounce pass through Nebuya's airborne legs, to Kiyoshi who was now left open in the paint for a simple layup. The buzzer rang once more, showing the score change.

60-55 in Rakuzan's favor.

Akashi merely stood there, in shock at what just happened. For the first time, Akashi had been shown up, and by Kuroko of all people, the one person he assumed to be useless offensively.

"Holy moly! Seirin scored again.!"

"Rakuzan's helpless to stop that guy! Where did this come from?!"

"I remember seeing him, but I had no idea he was so good!"

"SEIRIN! SEIRIN! SEIRIN! SEIRIN! SEIRIN! SEIRIN! "

The crowd was going wild at the sudden change in the flow of the game. Rakuzan had spontaneously lost their momentum during the 3rd Quarter, while Seirin had stolen it.

"Akashi-kun." Akashi turned his head to Kuroko, who had his eyes on him. "I will not say it again. I've changed, and for the better. I'll show our superior style of basketball." Kuroko's eyes flashed with a glint of sky blue, signaling his entrance into the zone once more.

" **The comeback starts now.** "


	4. Chapter 4: Winter Cup Final's Finale

Chapter 4: Winter Cup Final's Finale

 **Just a heads up for those who don't know. The only reason these chapters are coming out quickly is because they're part of an older version, and are just edited slightly. Once I edit the last chapter of the old story, the updates are gonna be a lot slower.**

 **Also, the characters may come off as slightly off-character. I haven't watched the show in so long, so I don't remember 100% what everyone is like.**

 **Especially the name calling. -_- Having some trouble trying to remember who uses what honorifics, who uses last over first names, nicknames; stuff like that.**

 **Try to keep this in mind when you spot my errors, and please don't flip out altogether.**

* * *

"Th-This is insane…" Kasamatsu said as he found his mouth remained ajar, like the rest of the spectators.

"This is….quite the unexpected results." Imayoshi said, sweating profusely.

"It's… It's happening right before us, yet I still can't seem to believe it…" Midorima mumbled.

"Is that…really Tetsu-kun?" Momoi said to herself, yet Aomine replied anyway.

"Of course that's him, idiot. But….I never knew he was capable this…In fact, I don't think any of us were…" Aomine said, his distant voice reflecting the confusion he himself was experiencing. The gameplay of the 3rd and 4th Quarter left the audience - no even the members of Seirin in shock. Yes the game was completely one-sided like in the first half, but it was nothing like the first half.

No.

Rakuzan was no longer in control. Seirin - no Kuroko had taken complete control of the game.

But what shocked the GoM members mostly was that Kuroko was doing so WHILE incorporating his members into his plays, unlike the GoM back in their days at Teiko. In contrast to their Teiko team, who began focusing on one-man plays where people like Kuroko was no longer needed; Seirin had become a team of chemistry with Kuroko in the center of it all.

* * *

 **~On-Court~**

New Score: 68-80 in Seirin's favor. Ever since the start of the Second Half, Rakuzan failed to score more than 10 points, while Seirin had gone on an offensive rampant thanks to Kuroko.

"Goddammit!" Akashi cursed to himself as Kuroko had once again blown past him. Ever since entering the zone, Kuroko had not made use of his lack of presence. No, Kuroko **did not need** his lack of presence. It's not that Kuroko needed to erase his presence, Rakuzan was fully aware of Kuroko's presence on the court. They just couldn't _find him_.

He had become a ninja on the court, appearing in one place at a time, then instantly disappearing, only to reappear stealing a ball or misdirecting a pass. Keeping eyes on him had become completely impossible.

Yet although Akashi had yet to find a way to stop Kuroko, only one thought ran through his head. ' _Why hasn't he been forced out of the zone yet? Just how long can he last?!_ ' Akashi thought frustratingly as he failed to find an answer.

"I cannot be forced out of the zone."

!

As if reading Akashi's mind, Kuroko instantly reappeared in front of Akashi on defense, while Hayama held onto the ball. Akashi, dripping with sweat erratically from the stress of having to keep up, narrowed his eyes at Kuroko's statement. "What?"

* * *

 **~Spectators~**

Back at the stands, Kise frowned unable to understand what that meant like everybody else. Midorima was the first to ask for clarification on what Kuroko meant. "What is Kuroko referring to Aomine? Did you not say that entering the zone takes a drastic toll on the physical body?" Midorima asked to Aomine, who never took his eyes of Kuroko except for when he vanished, seemingly concerned about Kuroko's condition.

"Yeah that's true, the physical stress is there, but that isn't what forces us out of the zone. The restraints that are opened when we enter the zone won't remain open unless the mind holds it in place. While holding the restraints loose, the mind somehow increases the rate of impulses to the body's muscle, which is what enhances our abilities. When the mind can no longer do so WHILE keeping the restraints open, THAT'S when players are forced out of the zone in order to maintain the normal body functions while re-establishing the restraints." Aomine explained.

"…WOW, Aominecchi! You're surprisingly smart for a muscles-head!" Kise said chuckling nervously, still not used to this side of Aomine. Instead of retorting, Aomine kept his eyes on Kuroko and sighed. "Idiot, don't you think I should have an understanding of the zone if I'm to use it in-game?" Seeing the logic in Aomine's claim, Midorima pressed forward with the main issue.

"Although I understand the issue of mental stress, how does that make Kuroko any special?" Midorima followed up with another question.

"Remember that Bakagami and I unknowingly entered the zone by chance due to internal conflict and our conviction. But it looks like Tetsu was able to enter the zone at will just back then. That by itself tells us how insane his mental abilities are, being able to release the restraints on their even though his body is so scrawny, I can only guess that his mentality dominates, since they're supposed to be indirectly proportional. So for someone like Tetsu, mental stress is not a problem, rather it may not even be a possibility."

Midorima's eyes widened in disbelief, seeming to understand the situation and how overpowered Kuroko could be when in zone. But his thoughts were interrupted by Imayoshi, who seemed to realize a flaw.

"But, if we were to pick out something as a flaw, it would still be Kuroko's frail body yes? Eventually his game play will slowly worsen due to physical stress." Imayoshi pointed out, awaiting Aomine's response. But Aomine merely shook his head in denial.

"Remember when we're in the zone, practically all thoughts are pushed out of our head, and that includes the stress that we feel as a result of entering the zone." Imayoshi frowned at Aomine's statement. "I don't quite understand." Imayoshi replied.

"When in the zone, it's true that the condition of our body deteriorates. Slowly, our muscles stress out, and we would normally begin to worsen in game play. But that's **normally**. Except when we're in the zone, our mind simply responds to the deterioration of our abilities by sending impulses throughout the body at a faster rate. Due to the increase in impulses being sent, our body responds by simply working harder to maintain the constant game play. So naturally, as time goes on, it'll be harder for someone to stay in the zone as the stress on their mind gradually increases." Aomine explained. Kasamatsu's eyes widened in shock, and he began to speak, wanting to confirm something.

"So what're you saying, that Kuroko can keep up this insane game play for as long as he wants?!" Kasamatsu asked disbelievingly. The Zone itself was ridiculously overpowering to use. But in the hands of Kuroko who could stay in the zone as long as he desired, it was practically a cheat sheet.

Aomine shook his head. "Don't be stupid, dumbass! Did you forget about Kuroko's frail body?!" Aomine yelled at Kasamatsu, who flinched at Aomine's sudden outburst. Aomine eventually calmed down before continuing, his eyes not leaving the court once throughout the whole scene. "…Eventually his body will give out when his legs fail and his body collapses. That's why….that's why he can't casually enter the zone. Why else do you think he probably never used it up till now? Who knows how long he's had this trick in the bag. The cost of victory would be too ridiculous."

Aomine couldn't help but feel shameful, seeing as Kuroko's sole purpose for using it now was to prove his beliefs to the GoM, who had thrown him aside. It seems that Kuroko had truly become desperate to see his goal reached. In his eyes, whatever condition Kuroko was left in after this match, the GoM would be indirectly responsible.

Everyone else there looked back onto the court, waiting to see which would end first: the game, or Kuroko.

* * *

 **~On-Court~**

"Kuroko! How you holding up?" Kagami yelled out to Kuroko. Although all of Seirin was relieved at the outcome from Kuroko using the zone, they were still wary, now aware of the consequences and toll it took on Kuroko.

Kuroko turned his head to Kagami and nodded his head, the corner of his lips rising slightly into a smile as he held a thumb up. "I'm fine Kagami-kun, don't worry about me." Kagami showed no reaction, the stern look never leaving his face.

"Tch, don't even think about overdoing it. The first sign, and you're out, got it?" Kagami left without waiting for Kuroko's response.

Although Seirin was aware of the toll it took on Kuroko, they had no way of knowing that his body could withhold any sign of weakening while Kuroko was in the zone. As such, no one took notice of Kuroko's erratic breathing and shaky legs.

"Yes! We have this match in the bag now!" Kawahara yelled confidently as the bench of Seirin watched ecstatically. Riko Aida smacked in him alongside the head with a closed fist and Kawahara flinched. "Ow…." Kawahara muttered with teary eyes and rubbed the sore spot on his face.

"Idiot! We can't let down just yet. Once Kuroko runs out of time in the zone, it'll all just go down hill from then. So we need to take advantage and widen the score-gap as much as we can." Riko reminded as she chewed on her thumb. The bench of Seirin, having realized this, lost their ecstatic outburst and were all focused on Kuroko's condition. Although the GoM and their teams were aware, the players of Seirin did not know about Kuroko's ability to maintain his activation of the zone.

Back on the court, Rakuzan was still struggling to obtain any sense of momentum throughout the game. Kuroko's entrance into the zone had forced the game to take a complete 180 degree-turn. Nebuya inbounded the ball to Hayama, who began dribbling down the court until he reached the top of the three-point line, where Izuki stood waiting for him.

' _Damn…I'm gonna have to go all out with 5 fingers if we're gonna get anywhere with this_ ' Hayama thought as he placed all five fingers on the ball.

' _I'll simply feint left and drive right, before crossing the ball between his legs back to the left. Five fingers should be fast enough with Kuroko cat- wait where is he?!_ ' Hayama said to himself when he realized he loss sight of Kuroko on court.

 _THWACK_

Kuroko suddenly appeared behind Hayama, pushing the ball towards Izuki, who bounced it right back to Kuroko through Hayama's legs. Rakuzan responded by sprinting down the court while Kuroko set up for a cyclone pass. Their efforts however, remained in vain as Kuroko was in a league of his own when it came to speed in the zone. The cyclone pass gunned past them towards Kagami, with Mibuchi literally feeling the breeze as the ball zoomed past them.

Akashi, attempting to maintain his composure, did not show any sense of faze. What frustrated them the most wasn't Kuroko's new abilities, but Seirin's ability to adapt and work around it, just like how Kagami was already down the court waiting for this cyclone pass.

' _If we cannot stop them on defense…_ ' Akashi thought as Mibuchi inbounded the ball to him. ' _Then we'll need to surpass them on offense!_ ' Akashi admitted, such a plan was mediocre and too simple, but as this point he was unable to think of any other solution to combat Kuroko's overpowered abilities. Rather than inbounding the ball, Akashi threw a full-court pass to Nebuya, who had remained on the other side of the court the whole time waiting for the pass.

"Shit! We got distracted!" Hyuga said to himself as Seirin ran back down the court. Even though Kuroko and Kagami was all they needed for the last bucket, they all ran down the court to provide support. As such, they were sluggish to run back on defense and Nebuya was left wide open on their side of the court for an easy 2 points. Nebuya smirked as he begun running slightly, hoping to catch the ball in mid-run to conserve time. Or so he thought.

 _THWACK_

Nebuya's eyes widened as he literally _saw_ a blur of Kuroko dash to the ball and practically launch back down the court. Nebuya, whose body was still facing Seirin's hoop, had no hope of even _trying_ to catch up to Kuroko. ' _The kid's become a fuckin' ninja! What the hell!?_ ' Nebuya thought as he watched Kuroko sprint back down to Rakuzan's side of the court. Kuroko's sprint was halted as Akashi stepped up to guard him. Kuroko slightly frowned, not understanding what Akashi felt he could accomplish by guarding Kuroko.

Kuroko thought back to their time's in Teiko. Although Akashi had come off as harsh when it came to decisions and standards, his course of actions always had a sense of reason to them. In Kuroko's eyes, Akashi was a man of logic. To him, if something seemed impossible or ridiculous to even attempt, he would never go towards such a goal. Such was the reason for their undefeated streak in Teiko.

' _What are you planning Akashi-kun?_ ' Kuroko thought to himself as he halted. His eyes widened however, as he realized what Akashi was planning. While Kuroko was two feet in front of the line, Akashi was a good foot behind it. ' _He's pressuring me to shoot_ ', Kuroko thought to himself. Kuroko smiled internally, noticing the flaws behind said-plan. Clearly, the fact that he was about to lose was affecting Akashi's mind drastically, and he wasn't thinking properly. The Akashi he knew wouldn't even address the flaws of this type of approach.

' _If he won't come after me…_ ' Kuroko thought before planting his left feet back. ' _Then I'll come to him!_ ' And with that, Kuroko pushed off his left feet and sprinted straight towards Akashi. Akashi's eyes widened. ' _Shit_ _…I'm not thinking properly!_ ' Akashi thought as he failed to realize that Kuroko could still drive into the hoop, regardless of whether Akashi gave him space to shoot or not.

However, it was too late for Akashi to react, as Kuroko vanished right before making contact with Akashi, and re-appeared behind him. Right after reappearing, he set up for a Phantom Shot, but was met with Mibuchi's towering body jumping to block him. However, Kuroko faked the shot and gunned a pass to Hyuga, who flinched at the impact of the pass before pulling up for a successful three.

 _Swish_

"Yosh!" Hyuga screamed with a fist in the air, as the audience and Seirin's bench cheered. ' _Yikesssss!_ _Kuroko's passes hurt more than coach's fists!_ '

"O- Oi Kuroko! Can you take it down a notch with the passes?! Practically broke my hand with that one!" Hyuga complained to Kuroko as he tried to shake the pain of his right hand. Kuroko looked down at his hand as he clenched it close and open. "Sorry, Hyuga-senpai...I don't think I've gotten used to the zone quite yet."

Akashi looked at the time, searching to see how much time was left. 5:34 was written on the board and counting down, with the score reading 68-84 in Seirin's favor. Ever since Kuroko entered the zone and remained in it, Rakuzan was barely able to score a single point, while Seirin was on a scoring streak. And what annoyed Akashi the most was that the scoring streak wasn't just from Kuroko. Somehow, Kuroko unleashing his true potential had not only boosted the team's morale, but their conviction and abilities as they began the regain focus on the task at hand.

Akashi began trembling, shaking his head back and forward continuously. ' _No…No….NO! I won't lose! I can't lose! I NEVER lose! That would mean I'm wrong and_ _ **I am never wrong. NEVER!**_ ' Akashi mentally in his head.

"Oi! Akashi, get it together! The last thing we need is you zoning out on us!" Nebuya yelled at Akashi, inbounding the ball for what seemed like the 20th time in the last 5 minutes. Hayama grabbed the ball and dribbled the ball down the court. Everyone on Rakuzan was freaking out mentally, their minds working at fast pace. His eyes moved rapidly across the court, trying to keep an eye out for Kuroko.

 _THWACK_

His eyed widened, hearing the steal before even seeing it. His turned his head around looking for Kuroko and his eyes widened even further in shock. For the person behind who had stolen the ball was not Kuroko but…

' _Izuki?! What the hell!_ ' Izuki grinned at Hayama, his face showing no emotions. "I can understand being wary for Kuroko but….don't just ignore us in the process, because you'll only be digging yourself a deeper hole to get out of." Izuki said before dribbling down the court on the fast break. All players went down court on the fast break, as Izuki held the ball.

Izuki passed the ball to Kiyoshi, who was in the post with Nebuya behind him. Mibuchi, seeing the pass, ran towards it in an attempt to intercept the pass.

!

Before Mibuchi could reach the pass, Kuroko appeared by the ball and flicked it, mis-directing the ball towards Hyuga, who was left clear for an open three-pointer. Kuroko smiled to himself, clearly satisfied with the progress shown in front of him. Although he was capable of entering the Zone for some time now, he had yet to test it on an actual opponent. So the results he was given as of now even surprised him. Kuroko was brought back to the game at hand at the sound of a whistle from the referee, signaling a timeout from Seirin.

Kuroko frowned, questioning the reason for a timeout so early on in the 4th Quarter. He turned to look at the scoreboard.

Blink.

Blink, blink.

Although not portraying it, he was quite shocked to see the game time paused at 3:32. ' _Where did the last nine minutes go?_ ' Kuroko thought to himself. One of the most annoying aspects that he believed came as a part of entering the zone was his narrow-minded mentality. Due to being in the Zone, players' mind wandered off often and lost focus of everything around them and regardless of Kuroko's unique ability to remain in the zone; he was still no exception to that perk.

And then it hit him.

A huge wave of fatigue hit him, followed by an unbearable pain he'd never experienced before. It felt like needles were peircing every part of his body, from his legs all the way up to his torso and arms. And it didn't leave, the pain stayed there; neither receding nor worsening. Kuroko felt like if he'd taken a single step, he might actually collapse from the pain that might shoot up his leg. It took everything Kuroko had to just hold back his reaction to the pain, and even more to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

With a deep breath, Kuroko closed his eyes and looked at the ceiling, trying to adapt to the pain. Occasionally, he would twitch a finger or wrist to test the pain. After a minute, Kuroko was confident he had adjusted to the pain, and relaxed. He never knew being in the Zone could tunnel his attention so much that he'd even ignore the pain he was withstanding.

Thus, he was also quite surprised to see his fellow teammates panting on-court and struggling to breathe. It seems that even they were finding it difficult to keep up with Kuroko. Over the last nine minutes, all of their points were coming off fastbreaks on offense since Kuroko constantly stripped the ball from Rakuzan, forcing turnovers. As such, the effects of constantly sprinting on-court were quite evident on the condition of Kuroko's teammates.

Still paranoid over the pain, Kuroko slowly followed his teammates, who practically dragged themselves onto the benched. Hyuga flopped down on the bench and practically swallowed his bottle of water.

"Hah...hah... Feel like….I'm gonna…die…" Hyuga panted while he fidgeted on the bench uncomfortably, as if trying to make breathing seem easier.

"I don't think we've ever sprinted so much in-game OR during practice…" Kiyoshi said while he sat normally on the bench. Since he was center, he wasn't required to run as much since his position remained in the key. Yet even he was starting to feel the effects of keeping up with Kuroko. Even Kagami was panting for air.

"O- Oi Kuroko…. Can't you slow it down a notch?" Kagami gasped out as he panted for air as if he was choking. It seemed Kuroko was the only one who was unfazed by the amount of sprinting, even though he was the one leading all the fastbreak and initiating each one.

Riko Aida pushed off their complaints mercilessly. "Regardless, we're making good progress. And Kuroko, you should lay off the Zone for now. It's best you don't wear out the rest of your time in the Zone." Riko said directly to Kuroko.

Kuroko merely shook his head. "I'm fine senpai. There's no need to be concerned about how much time I have left." Hyuga perked up slightly, hearing him.

"What do you mean 'there's no need'?" Kuroko turned his head to Hyuga at the sound of his question. "I mean that my time in the Zone is limitless. I can hold it until the end of the game." Kuroko answered. Aida's eyes widened at the new information.

"What?! That's impossible!" Kagami roared. Being someone who could enter the Zone, Kagami was fully aware of the stress that entering the Zone put on the body. As such, he found it hard to believe that someone like Kuroko could stay in the zone. Unlike the spectators who heard the GoM's conversation before, the members of Seirin were unaware of Kuroko's ability up until now.

Kuroko frowned slightly as he pondered for sometime. He then turned to Kagami was a plain expression on his face. "I'm sorry Kagami-kun, but I don't quite know how to explain it." He said in a monotone voice. Kagami's eye twitched as a vein popped in his forehead.

' _At least sound apologetic if you're going to apologize, bastard..._ ' Kagami thought to himself as the rest of Seirin sweatdropped at Kagami's reaction and Kuroko's obvliviousness to Kagami's stress. Aida smiled to herself. She was glad to know that nothing had changed among them even though Kuroko had changed so much in the last 20 minutes.

' _Or is he just hiding his true colors?_ ' Riko thought to herself. Regardless, she shook her head in an attempt to get rid of such thoughts. Seeing how the rest of GoM were when it came to basketball, she was glad that Kuroko hadn't changed like them, seeing as how he seemed to surpass even them.

"Gah, can't we just take it easy for the rest of the game? There's practically three minutes left and we have a 20 point lead. There's no way they can catch up." Even Kagami was fatigued from all the running they had done in the last two quarters. There wasn't even enough time for them to jog back onto defense. It was constant running up and down the court the whole time.

"Idiot I don't know how you do it in America, but here in Japan, or at least in Seirin, we play hard to the very last second. Besides Rakuzan is a team who we can't disrepect. And relaxing for the last couple of minutes just because we were carried here is nothing but disrespect." Hyuga lectured Kagami. The seniors of the team, including Kiyoshi and Koganei nodded their heads in agreement.

"Not to mention." Everyone turned their heads to Kuroko, who spoke up out of nowhere. "If you were to slack now and leave all the work for me, it wouldn't be a team game. And not only would that defeat my purpose for wanting to beat Akashi, it would also go against Seirin's beliefs, right senpai?" Kuroko said, turning his head to Hyuga in the head.

Hyuga grinned at Kuroko. "See, Kuroko gets it. You." Hyuga said pointing to Kagami. "You lack respect and conviction." Hyuga criticized Kagami.

Kagami dropped to the ground. Ranging from Hyuga lecturing him to Kuroko taking the spotlight of the game, it seems everyone was showing him up. ' _Today just isn't my day..._ '

* * *

 **~Spectators~**

"What? Why is Kurokocchi staying in the Zone? Shouldn't he take it easy since they're on break?" Kise questioned. "Idiot, it's quite simple." Midorima said. Although Aomine was the expert when it came to the Zone, Midorima was able to see the logic in Kuroko's decision based off the knowledge he now had of the Zone.

"Neh…No need to be so mean Midorimacchi" Kise said while beginning to shed tears. Kasamatsu palmed his face in embarrassment while the rest of Kaijou sweatdropped at their ace's behavior. "Of all the GoM players here, why did **we** get the childish one?" Kasamatsu muttered to himself.

For the first time during the whole game Aomine begun to relax, slouching back in his seat. At the same time, Midorima continued with what he was going to say. "By choosing to maintain his position in the Zone, Kuroko can refrain from having to suffer from the recoil after exiting the Zone. And doing so with provide no problem as we, seeing as he can remain in the Zone for as long as he likes." Midorima lectured Kise.

"Not only that, but as miniscule as it is, this still gives Tetsu's body some time to relieve the stress being put on his body. But I'm still worried, since we don't know how drastic the effects of the Zone are on his body. He's probably started to notice the pain already, now that his mind is off the game." Aomine said.

"Not to mention we probably won't see the side-effects until he actually exits the Zone right?" Imayoshi added in.

"Kuro-chin's a really good actor, neh Mine-chin?" Murasakibara asked.

"That's right." Aomine replied. For a split second, nothing happened. Aomine turned his head to Murasakibara.

Blink.

Blink, Blink.

"Mu-Murasakibara?! When the hell did you get here?!" Aomine yelled, jumping back in reflex, alongside Momoi and Kise while Midorima raised in eyebrow in surprise.

"Hmmm, didn't any of you hear me before? Muro-chin wanted to watch the rest of the game, and said he would buy me snacks if I came." Murasakibara said with a mouth full of potato chips while pointing at Himuro. Himuro scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Eh heh heh. Sorry, I don't mean to intrude, but I noticed that all the GoM gathered here near Seirin's bench and figured we could come by as well." Turning his head, he looked at the scoreboard. Yet seeing the unexpected score with Seirin in the lead had not gotten the same reaction from him that it did from the rest.

"68-84 in Seirin's favor huh? Even though I was expecting it, still can't say I'm not surprised." Himuro said. Everyone gaped at his reaction. Had he expected such a score? From Rakuzan of all people?!

Aomine merely raised an eyebrow. "I'm positive you're the only person not surprised by this outcome." Himuro turned his head to respond.

"Nn. Murasakibara told me about Kuroko's ability to enter the Zone and that it would most likely overpower Rakuzan. While I was surprised by his description of Kuroko in the Zone, I didn't really believe that it would be this amazing until now. After all, we versed Rakuzan during the Interhigh tournament and without Murasakibara; it was a complete massacre even with me on the field." Himuro said. While most people were thinking about what he said, Midorima noticed something.

"Wait did you say Murasakibara told you beforehand? Would it be correct to say you were aware of this already Murasakibara?" Midorima questioned Murasakibara. Murasakibara merely raised an eyebrow at Midorima.

"Hmm? Oh. Yea. Kuro-chin told me after our game. So I figured he would use it here since he's versing Aka-chin. So I told Muro-chin on the way here." Murasakibara stated.

…..

…..

…..

"And you didn't think to tell us beforehand…" Midorima said, his irritation at Murasakibara growing steadily.

"Hmmm? Didn't wanna." And with that, Murasakibara turned with his back to Midorima. A vein popped on Midorima's forehead as he walked up to Murasakibara before Kise stopped him.

"Neh, let's calm down there Midorimacchi heh heh! Nothing to get worked up about!" Kise said nervously as he held back Midorima.

"Shut up, you idiots." Aomine said to all of them. "The game is about to continue." And with that, everyone brought their attention back to the game.

* * *

 **~On-Court~**

Kuroko walked onto the court, alongside his teammates, but was stopped by Akashi. Kuroko was about to say something to Akashi, before he cut Kuroko off.  
"Why are you going so far to win this Tetsuya?" Akashi questioned Kuroko, as they jogged down the court while Hayama had the ball. It seemed that both players had no intention of joining in the game until their conversation was over.

"To prove to you just how capable I am since you chose to throw me aside and even." Kuroko answered. Akashi's eyes narrowed at Kuroko.

"It seems that in this last year, you've forgotten who you're dealing with Tetsuya. I know for a fact that you are not the kind of man to hold grudges. Now tell me your **real** reason for doing so." Akashi demanded from Kuroko. For a second or so, Kuroko did not respond.

"I want to prove to you all." Akashi raised an eyebrow, motioning for Kuroko to go on. "I'm didn't like the basketball we played in Teiko. We were like machines that were programmed to just win. We played on the same team, yet we weren't teammates. We spent so much time together, yet we weren't friends. I just want things to go back to the way they were before." Kuroko said to Akashi.

"I fail to see how merely winning this game will achieve this goal of yours." Akashi said. Kuroko shook his head, while keeping his eyes on the ball. Regardless of his chances to steal the ball, he refrained from doing so as he wanting to speak with Akashi. He made eye contact with Hyuga, who nodded in response as if understanding. He barked orders at the members of Seirin, who tensed up realizing they wouldn't be getting any help from Kuroko for some time.

"I didn't intend to by winning. I had hoped you would pay attention to us while we played, rather than the game itself." Kuroko corrected Akashi, whose eyes widened.

"When I play with Seirin, I feel comfortable. I can play as I want alongside my companions, and it was then that I realized. Just playing basketball isn't fun, it's best when played with companions who share your love and passion for the game. **That's** what you all lack. The ability to enjoy a game regardless of the outcome." Kuroko said, while finally looking at Akashi.

"Yet losing the match is what provides the lack of satisfaction when finishing a game." Akashi replied. At that moment, a buzzer rang, signaling a score change as Nebuya hooked in a layup over Kiyoshi. "How can you truly say you enjoyed the game, when your very team is useless without your assistance?" Akashi said back to Kuroko.

"There will always be matches that are lost and won. In Teiko, we've never bothered to consider such thoughts, doing whatever it took to achieve victory. You - no, we all disregarded our companionship and even competed against one another. It was these very beliefs that drew us apart. I felt that if I could contradict those very beliefs, then we would gradually grow closer together again, seeing as how our obsession with winning replaced the bonds we had."

Kuroko thoroughly explained his thoughts to Akashi, who began to get an understanding to what Kuroko hoped to achieve, yet was still not convinced. Akashi looked out to the rest of the members on the court, watching them play before responding.

"….I have already accepted this as our loss." Kuroko's eyes widened as Akashi worded his thoughts out. "I may be obsessed with winning, but my sense of logic is one that dominates all in my mentality, and I cannot see a future where we will come out victorious as it is. Yet do you really believe that simply contradicting our beliefs will bring us closer together? This may change our beliefs, but it will not change the hostility we've developed towards each other." Akashi clarified to Kuroko, who merely closed his eyes.

"I can do nothing but hope for the best, Akashi-kun." Kuroko looked up to the ceiling with his eyes remaining closed and drowned in his own thoughts for some time. "If it doesn't change the distance between us, then I'll do it myself." And with that, Kuroko opened his eyes and looked back to Akashi. "I'll make sure that things go back to the way they were, one way or another. I broke my promise to Momoi-san when we split up, and I intend to fix my mistakes." Kuroko said to Akashi with conviction oozing out of every word he said.

"And besides."

Akashi was caught off-guard as he heard Kuroko chuckle. It was a sound he hadn't heard in a _long_ time, and he'd lie if he said it didn't threaten to bring a smile to his face.

"It's sounds fun, trying to prove you wrong and all. All the more when I'm doing it with my friends." Kuroko joked, as he gave Akashi his first genuine smile since they re-united.

* * *

Mibuchi fell on his rear on the court, panting for air. The final score was 68-94, with Seirin dominating completely in the 2nd half. 'Damn _, I'd never expect us to lose at all, rather get our ass handed to us._ ' Mibuchi looked to his teammates, with Hayama and Nebuya sharing the same reaction as him, and Mayuzumi looking down at the ground, covering his face from revealing any emotion.

Looking at him, Mibuchi could not help but feel pity. Mayuzumi had come on court with a presence that challenged the original Phantom Sixth Man, but had been shown up. No, he'd been overpowered and dominated completely. The feelings of pity were short-lasting however; as Mibuchi realized that Mayuzumi would eventually get over the loss. Roaming over the court, he searched for their final member, whose reaction he was most concerned about. Finding him lying flat on his back , Mibuchi walked to Akashi cautiously, as if expecting him to lash out.

"Sei-chan... I understand that this loss was unexpected. But please do-" Mibuchi stopped himself as he heard chuckling, which seemed to derive from Akashi, who lay on the court with his eyes closed. "Sei-chan?" Mibuchi said, concerned about their leader's sanity.

Akashi's eyes opened, and Mibuchi was surprised to see they were filled with sincerity and warmth, rather than the usual stoned and cold emotions. "I've already accepted this loss. Tetsuya has completely bested me. But…..it's strange….I don't know what he's done to me but….for some reason, even though we lost, I can't help but feel satsfied."

And with that, Mibuchi merely stood there as if making sure he heard Akashi properly. And with that he walked away. ' _I'm not sure what he did either…but I'm glad._ ' Mibuchi thought to himself as he smiled.

Akashi lay on the court for several more second, before getting up and scanning the court. He began walking towards the members of Seirin, who seemed to gather around their bench, alongside the members of GoM and their respective teams, who came out to congratulate them.

* * *

 **~Seirin~**

"Uwoooohhhh! We did it! We won the Winter Cup!" Koganei screamed alongside Kawahara and Kiyoshi as they linked their arms above their shoulders.

"Hmph, can't say I'm **not** surprised. As harsh as it sounds, I'm pretty sure no one hear expected you to win. This truly is the first time Akashi has ever lost at anything." Midorima said, seeming to kill the mood.

"Oi Midorima! Don't be such a buzz-kill!" Kagami complained to Midorima while chugging down a bottle of Gatorade alongside Hyuga. Riko Aida seemed to be in her own world as she pranced along with Nigou in her arms, who seemed slightly uncomfortable with all the bouncing.

All of a sudden, everyone tensed up feeling a sense of pressure in the air. They all turned and froze at where the pressure seemed to derive from, seeing Akashi walk up to them. The team froze; unaware of what to do, while the members of GoM held their guards up. It seemed everyone was wary of seeing how Akashi would react to a loss. Akashi silently walked up to them and scanned over them, before choosing to walk up to Kagami. Kagami clenched his fist, preparing for a fight before but was caught off-guard when Akashi merely put a hand out.

"…..A game well-played." Akashi said to Kagami, who merely stood there before slowly accepting the handshake. "A-Akashicchi… Are you really okay with losing this match?" Kise said slowly, as if still expecting Akashi to blow up.

Akashi merely smiled at Kise and sighed. "Is everyone really that terrified of me?" Akashi joked around, yet it seemed no one had realized it.

"N-No, not at all! This was just unexpected that's all, heh heh!" Kise said rapidly as he swung his hands in front of him in denial. Akashi looked up to the ceiling and closed his eyes.

"It's strange, but after hearing what Tetsuya said to me on the court, I couldn't help but unconsciously look at the game in a different perspective during the game."

Murasakibara raised his eyebrows at Akashi's remark. "Hm~ is that what you were doing? I thought Aka-chin finally lost it, just standing on the court and looking up at the ceiling."

Akashi just smiled at Murasakibara lack of tact. "Somehow, even though I lost, I feel like I enjoyed myself out there. We all played our hearts out, after all." Akashi said to everyone. The GoM was taken aback by Akashi's sudden change in personality. Akashi looked back to the huge group of players before continuing, a look of curiosity replacing his smile.

"Speaking of Tetsuya, where is he? I would like to congratulate him on a game well played. I'm also concerned about his condition." Everyone, as if just realizing Kuroko's unknown condition after entering the Zone, began searching for him frantically.

 _THUMP_

"Tetsu-kun!" Momoi's scream rang throughout the stadium over the deafening screams of the fans.

10 feet away from them, still on the court, Kuroko's body lay unconscious on the ground alongside Momoi who was shaking him frantically, showing little to no signs of movement.

Veins were popping out of his arms, literally showing the stress on them and his hands were scarred and bleeding slightly from all the such rough contact with the ball. But what scared everyone the most was the fact Kuroko wasn't heaving for air, as he normally would have after such a game. For all they knew, he wasn't even breathing _at all_.

For a second, everyone shared either a look of horror or shock and froze, seeming unable to do anything. A split second later, the GoM reacted first with Kise and Akashi sprinting down to Kuroko and Aomine yelling for a doctor.

Momoi began panicking as tears ran down her face. Up until now, she had been talking with Kuroko, and congratulating him before he suddenly just froze and collapsed. Looking at him now, his breathing had actually taken on an erratic pattern as if it became a struggle to do so. All Momoi could was a constant 'hic', as if Kuroko was trying to breathe, but something was stopping him. Other than that, he was not moving in the slightest.

"Tetsu-kun…please hang on!Tetsu-kun…" Momoi cried as two security guards lifted Kuroko onto a stretcher. "Tetsu-kun!"


	5. Chapter 5: Recovering and Reacquainting

**There's one error that I noticed from my previous chapters. When I mentioned Kuroko throwing a cyclone pass, I was actually referring to his Ignite pass. Sorry for that mistake, for whoever noticed it.**

 **Also the whole KurokoxMomoi thing was strongly recommended to me, and I complied. But I don't really know much about writing romances, so I'm just gonna go with whatever comes to my mind.**

Chapter 5: Recovering and Reacquainting

 **~At the Hospital, in Kuroko's room~**

At the moment, Akashi and the rest of the GoM, alongside Momoi were relaxing in the hospital room. After Kuroko's collapse yesterday after the game, everyone had been sent into panic and chaos ensued. While Akashi and Kise had gone to Kuroko's side to check his condition, Aomine had yelled for the hired doctor. At the same time, Midorima and Murasakibara were forced to restrain Seirin, who had begun panicking after seeing Kuroko. Kagami had attempted to rush to Kuroko but was restrained by Murasakibara while Midorima attempted to cool his nerve. The members of Shuutoku, Kaijou and Touou worked to ease the panic roaming through the rest of Seirin.

Although no one meant to push Seirin away, the GoM were well aware that they would not be providing much help in their state of panic, while Kagami's mere hot-headed personality could possibly result in an even graver situation.

And so, it was now the morning after the game, with the members of GoM and Momoi waiting for the doctor's morning checkup. Although no one was allowed in the hospital dorms since visiting hours began two hours later, with some persuasion (and threatening from Akashi) they were able to persuade the doctors into letting them in.

Akashi looked around the small room. Murasakibara had gone out to get more snacks for himself, while Kise sat on the floor by the window. Midorima and Aomine lay back against the walls like Akashi in different areas. Momoi had the liberty of taking the only seat in the room and placing it by Kuroko's bed and was now fast asleep with her hands grasping one of Kuroko's tightly. No one had bothered to stop Momoi from staying in the dorm overnight (again, required some 'persuasion' to allow).

Looking back at her, Akashi could not help but instinctively reminisce to last night after the game. Momoi had frozen up after Kuroko's collapse, and Akashi and Kise took it upon themselves to bring Kuroko to the doctor's office. Although he hadn't been there, Akashi had heard from Kagami that Momoi had not fared well after Kuroko's departure. Apparently no tears were shed, although Momoi had been trembling, not moving from the very spot where she had been with Kuroko moments before he collapsed.

Eventually, Kise had returned and guided her to the hospital, where Kuroko was being sent. After hearing that surgery would be inevitable if Kuroko was to survive, it was at that point that Momoi had finally broken down, crying hysterically.

Thinking of the surgery, a shiver went down Akashi's spine as he remembered about the injuries that Kuroko had apparently suffered. Although the injuries didn't seem so drastic visually, his body had suffered greatly internally. According to the doctor, the bones in Kuroko's arms were at the brink of shattering and were slightly distorted, possibly leading to permanent damage if they were not repositioned correctly before the mending began. But that had been the light of the report.

The doctor had mentioned that approximately 73% of Kuroko's muscle had torn due to the stress placed on them; even the muscles that werem't located in his arms or legs. That included the muscle that surrounded his lungs. The doctor reported that Kuroko's lungs had collapsed, which was the cause of his erratic pattern of breathing. They were forced to cover Kuroko's mouth with an oxygen mask for the time being.

Apparently, surgery was necessary to reposition his bones and reattach the muscle immediately before they began repairing themselves, so that they could heal properly in place. The members of GoM had waited outside the surgery room anxiously, worrying for what the doctor would report. Momoi, the poor woman, was lost in her own depression and tears ever since hearing the report on Kuroko's injuries. They all mentally prepared themselves when they understood the consequences of Kuroko using the Zone. But the mere thought that Kuroko's life was actually _in danger_ had sent them all through shock.

Shaking himself out of the past, Akashi focused back on the present. The doctor had already said that Kuroko had stabilized, so there was no reason to be so anxious. As of now, Kuroko only had on a cast on both his arms, seeing as how his arms hadn't mended yet. Before leaving the GoM alone with Kuroko this morning, the doctor had warned them to make sure that Kuroko did not move too much after waking up. Although he had no cast on his chest, Kuroko could not move too much, with the risk that his new and temporarily tender muscle may tear again.

The members of GoM had originally been shocked at the report of Kuroko's injuries. Their thoughts varied from concern to shamed since they deemed themselves responsible for Kuroko's desperation to enter the Zone. All-in-all, there was one thought that ran through all their minds.

They could never allow Kuroko to do such a thing again. Not unless they wanted to risk losing him.

 _Ching_

The members of the GoM snapped their heads towards the door at the sound of the chime from the door hitting the bell. The doctor came in with the usual white lab coat and a clipboard. Without saying a single word, he walked over the Kuroko, who remained asleep on the bed alongside Momoi. Making sure not to wake Momoi up, he checked for Kuroko's pulse rate and began pressing in several places. Although Kuroko showed no reaction when he pressed on his arms, he gasped involuntarily when the doctor pushed on his chest.

Kise and Aomine tensed after seeing Kuroko's reaction, but were halted once Akashi put a hand up in order to stop them. The doctor removed his stethoscope from his ears and began writing some notes on the clipboard. After a minute or so, he faced Akashi and spoke.

"It seems that he's officially stabilized and he should be fine in due time. His arms will most likely heal in two weeks or so and so will the muscle. But I highly advise against any harsh training even after he recovers, at least for a week or so. Even after the muscle heals, he'll have some difficulty breathing until his freshly made muscle loosens up." The doctor reported to Akashi, who merely nodded his head.

"Is that all?" Akashi asked. "Yes. But just to remind you. The boy will wake up soon from the looks of it, most likely tomorrow. Once he does, make sure to limit his movement. If the muscle tears before healing fully, his lungs might collapse again." The doctor reminded Akashi. Akashi nodded his head in confirmation once again.

"I understand. Thank you for everything, doctor." And with that, the doctor exited the room. At the sound of the chime, Momoi's eyes fluttered open, and she yawned, stretching her arms out. As she did so, her chest rose while her breasts bounced slightly. Akashi noticed Aomine staring intently at Momoi out of the corner of his eyes, and raised an eybrow in curiosity. Two things hadn't changed since Teiko as far as Akashi knew: Momoi being surprisingly beautiful with an alluring physique, and Aomine never showing any interest in his childhood friend.

Or so Akashi had assumed when it came to the latter. Being one of the few, if not the only person, who actually understood Kuroko when it came to Momoi, Akashi prediction tension possibly rising between Kuroko and Aomine in the future. Feeling he owed it to Kuroko after everything he had done for them, Akashi chose to take it upon himself to replace Kuroko as the mediator of the group, should the time come.

Momoi blinked her eyes rapidly, seemingly unaware of her environment and what had happened. Looking down, she saw Kuroko on the body and her eyes widened as she recalled the event yesterday. All she could remember was Kuroko's spasming body and erratic breathing. Before she could say anything, Kise covered her mouth with his hand and put a hand on her shoulder once he felt her tense up.

"Shhh, calm down Momocchi!" Kise whispered. "The doctor said he'll be fine, but be careful not to wake him up." Kise comforted Momoi, who nodded before Kise removed his hand from her mouth. She slowly turned back to Kuroko and traced a line along his face with her hands as a somber frown appeared on her own face.

Although they were reassured that Kuroko would definitely recover, they still couldn't get rid of the depressing atmosphere in the room. The room remained silent until Momoi spoke up.

...

...

...

"….Did the doctor say when Tetsu-kun would wake up?" Momoi asked silently to everyone in the room, and Midorima was the one to reply. "No time today."

Yes, the doctor had mentioned that Kuroko would most likely remain unconscious for the rest of the day. Yet the members of GoM felt slightly uncomfortable with what to do and say once Kuroko woke up. Of course, after they had gotten past the words of concern and scolding for overdoing it, what would they say? Normally it wouldn't have been so bad, minus the tension from everyone being gathered together. Hell even now, there would be tension, had one of them not been bedridden. They could do nothing but wait until Kuroko regained consciousness.

"…There's nothing we can do but wait now." Akashi said. He turned to Momoi, who hadn't taken her hand off Kuroko's face while caressing it. He had no desire to tear the woman apart from him considering how devastated she looked last night, yet he was fully aware of the toll it would take on her. "Satsuki, I understand that you are concerned for Tetsuya's wellbeing, but you must take into account your own well-being. We'll come back first thing tomorrow morning." Akashi said to Momoi, who did not respond.

Slowly but evidently, Momoi nodded her head and got up. Kise comforted her as the group walked out of the room.

But unbeknownst to them, Kuroko had also woken up when the doctor first entered the room, unlike Momoi. Due to the rush of fatigue he felt, he had no desire to actually open his eyes, fully aware of the ruckus it would cause. The first thing he was aware of when waking up was the soreness that ached all over his body. Although sulking over the pain at first, he remembered the pain he'd experienced yesterday and was quick to just be thankful it was only soreness now.

Kuroko heard the doctor's report of his injuries, and was also surprised after hearing the extent of the damage. Had he really not noticed any of his injuring during his time in the Zone? He was fully aware that the Zone degrades the player's perception of his surroundings and etc., but he wasn't aware that it was to this extent. The last time he had entered the Zone, the damage wasn't so drastic, albeit soreness and sluggish reactions. Although that was most likely due to the fact that he was merely testing it out by himself on-court at night.

Once Momoi had woken up and began caressing his face, he could not help but lose some of the tension he had been holding in this whole time. The feeling of her soft hand sliding across his cheek had come across as a sense of comfort and content to him. Which is exxactly why when he heard Akashi speak to Momoi and exit, he popped open one eye lid and watched them leave.

Once they had left, Kuroko opened both his eyes to get a good look at his surroundings. Attempting to get up, he winced as he felt a stroke of pain dash across his chest and through his arms as he instinctively brought up an elbow on the bed to push himself up. Luckily, the casts on his arms only covered his forearms, letting him retain some mobility. Recalling what the doctor said about his injuries though, he decided against getting up and laid back down on the bed.

' _The boy will wake up soon from the looks of it, most likely tomorrow_ '

Remembering what the doctor said, Kuroko closed his eyes in an attempt to fall back asleep. ' _Tomorrow_ ' Kuroko thought. Tomorrow, he'll confront the members of the GoM.

* * *

 **~The Next Day~**

Kuroko had woken up to the feeling of something laying on his hands. He opened his eyes slowly, and blinked rapidly to get rid of the blurriness. Looking around, his eyes fell upon the traces of pink hair that lay stranded on a hand covering his. Smiling to himself, he traced the hair back to Momoi's head, who was currently sleeping on his bed, with his legs serving as a pillow.

Slowly and quietly, he sat up and looked around the room. It seemed that Momoi had snuck in earlier by herself and fell asleep by Kuroko's side. He reached out to her, and noticed that the doctor had come in before - whether it was early morning or last night, he didn't know - and changed his cast. Now, instead of having a cast that completely covered his arms, he merely had one that covered his forearms and reached up to his palm, leaving his fingers visible.

Seeing this, Kuroko reached out and began roaming his left hand through Momoi's hair. Seeing her sigh in content and snuggle into his legs, Kuroko smiled, satisfied with the quiet moment he had with her. He let her hair flow through his hands, relishing in how nice it felt as they slipped out of his grasp.

' _Soft_ '

At the sound of the door opening, Kuroko turned his head, expecting the doctor to come in and scold Momoi for sneaking in before visiting hours. Instead, he was surprised to see Akashi, Midorima and Aomine come in through the door to the sight in front of them. Aomine opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Kuroko, who put a finger to his lips.

"Shhhh" Kuroko hushed before any of them could make a sound. He then pointed downwards towards his lap, and their eyes widened, just taking notice of Momoi sleeping on his lap. A few second later, Kise and Murasakibara entered along with several snacks. They shared the same reaction as the other three, but Kuroko wasn't fast enough to warn them before Kise spoke out.

"Kurokocchi! You're awake!" Kise exclaimed. He was met with a group of "Shhh!" from the three GoM who first came in. Momoi stirred in her sleep and shifted slightly, before Kuroko began running his hand through her hair again, coaxing her to sleep. Kise sweatdropped and chuckled slightly while scratching the back of his head, as he realized the situation at hand.

...

"How... are you feeling?" Midorima was the first to speak in the room. Kuroko shifted his gaze to Midorima. "There's not much pain in my arm unless I put pressure and the pain in my chest seemed to have gone away….although breathing seems to be a bit difficult as of now." Kuroko answered back. Akashi responded by merely shaking his head.

"The doctor had informed us that such a problem would arise. He also mentioned straying from any strenuous activities until your muscles fully heal. While I may not be your captain anymore, I highly advise doing as the doctor says." Akashi advised to Kuroko, who responded by nodding his head back at Akashi.

Kuroko remained silent, not sure of how to behave around Akashi. Last night, he succumbed to the after-effects of the Zone and had no chance to meet with Akashi after the game. Hence, he wasn't quite sure how Akashi actually felt about losing.

"I'm over it already, if the game is what you're so worried about."

Kuroko stiffened as Akashi practically read his mind. He looked up to Akashi, only to see him offering a calm smile, one that he matched instinctively. Akashi shrugged after seeing the unspoken question in Kuroko's eyes. "Sometimes you need to lose to see how foolish you are."

The rest of the GoM took a moment to recollect over the discussion they had on the way to the hospital, barely 10 minutes ago.

* * *

~10 minutes ago~

The GoM had just gotten off the bus and began walking towards the hospital, which was about 10-15 minutes away. This gave them plenty "But Akashicchi, are you really okay with losing the finals. I didn't expect you to take it so lightly." Kise mentioned.

Looking back, Kise along with Midorima and Murasakibara had broken down after losing to Kuroko, while Aomine merely fell into a state of shock and disbelief. But Akashi had simply accepted it in a mere matter of seconds.

After Kise's comment, Akashi closed his eyes and looked up to the ceiling. "It was fun." Was all he said before he remained silent for a minute or so. He then opened his eyes, but focused his gaze on the ceiling.

"It was a feeling that I had not truly felt since first starting in Teiko. I truly believed that the satisfaction I felt in being victorious was enjoyment. Yet I never realized it was the one feeling I lacked when playing games until last night." Akashi said.

"Besides, I'm a man of logic after all. It was clear that we had lost that match. Rather than denying it and continuing to struggle, I chose to heed Kuroko's advice and took notice as to how Seirin played." Akashi looked to his fellow GoM players before continuing. "I'm assuming that we are all aware of Tetsuya's overpowering aspects when in the Zone." After seeing them nod in confirmation, he closed his eyes and continued.

"It was at that point that I realized his intentions. He **wanted** us to notice his similarity to us during Teiko. Like us back then, he had overpowered his opponents with sheer skill and completely controlled the game. Or rather, he could've controlled it, like we did. Instead, he chose to continue relying on his teammates, incorporating them into his play style even though it was unnecessary." Akashi looked back at Midorima for confirmatin, who nodded at him to continue. "Unlike us, who competed amongst each other for superiority and kept the ball to ourselves, Tetsuya refused to go down the same path and chose to play **with** his teammates rather than against them."

"I believe that was what Tetsuya was trying to do, to show us the reason that we lost our passion in Teiko. It was our mere competitiveness and refusal to share the spotlight that had destroyed the passion we shared for basketball." Akashi said. Akashi's speech was followed by a moment of silence that lasted until the GoM arrived at the hospital doors.

"So...what now? I don't think we can just go back to what we had before." Aomine said uncomfortably. Kise thought on it for a moment, and shrugged. "I guess spending more together would be a good start right?"

"The best thing we can do to make Kuroko happy is play basketball the way he enjoys it. The way it should be played, as we all know." Midorima said. Akashi smiled and as the sliding doors to the hospital opened, he paused. "Kuroko's Basketball. I like it."

* * *

~Present~

"But I must say, I do believe I speak for all of us when I say we never expected you to be the kind of man to hold grudges, Kuroko." Midorima said, facing Kuroko.

"Nn. You looked pretty scary last night, Kurokocchi!" Kise approved of Midorima's remark, nodding his head fervently. Aomine smacked his head with a fist, causing him to hiss in pain.

"Idiot! Th-"

"Shhh!" Aomine was cut off by Kuroko, who had to remind them again that Momoi was still sleeping on his lap.

"What he means," Midorima rolled his eyes. "Is that you're missing the not the point. The point is that we must've hurt Tetsu **that** badly, if he's holding a grudge against us."

"Intimidation." Everyone turned their heads to Kuroko, who spoke out of the blue.

"What?" Kise asked. "I read in a book, that one of the best methods to gaining an upper-hand over someone was to apply pressure onto them. The book had mentioned intimidation being an effective method for applying pressure." Kuroko said in an informative tone as he held an index finger up.

….

….

….

"So that whole speech about showing us up….." Aomine trailed off.

"Nn." Kuroko said nothing his head. "It was just a façade to persuade you into believing that I had such a dark side."

Murasakibara's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as Midorima and Aomine's jaws dropped and Kise collapsed. Akashi merely chuckled and shook his head left and right. "It seems that we must remain wary of Tetsuya from now on."

The corners of Kuroko's mouth curved up into a small smile at the sight before him. Just the day before the finals, they met up in an atmosphere that practically spelled danger. Now they were all thrown into a small hospital room, with not a single trace of tension in the air.

Kuroko looked on happily, feeling that he was truly making progress in bringing them back together.

"Regardless, I still feel the need to apologize on behalf of the GoM for the way we treated you back then Tetsuya. It seems that our blinded perspectives and competitive personalities had blinded us from the suffering we forced you to go through." Akashi said while the rest of the GoM nodded their heads in agreement.

Kuroko closed his eyes and leaned back on the headrest. "Back then….it was painful. Knowing that I had lost my place in Teiko made me feel lonely. We would still walk together, but I was always lonely, feeling out of place. Momoi-san and I both." Kuroko looked down to Momoi, who still remained fast asleep.

Midorima raised an eyebrow. "If it was as bad as you made it sound, then exactly how is it that you stood before us defiantly after graduating? The Kuroko from back then doesn't seem like the boy who would be so strong-willed and so."

Kuroko never took his eyes of Momoi. "Although I felt out of place among us, I wanted to be there for Momoi-san." Aomine's eyes widened at Kuroko's remark. "Even though she hardly showed it, I could tell she was going through the same pain I was… Although she never had that feeling of replacement, she could easily notice the tension between us. All I had wanted to do back then was to just keep the smile on her face. Seeing her smile always gave me a feeling of content when we were all together…" Kuroko remained silent for awhile after the last comment.

Kise smiled sadly, as if reminiscing about said days, while Aomine looked away and Akashi and Midorima took on a face of guilt. And for the first time, Murasakibara lost the appetite to continue eating.

"…..I had made a promise to Momoi-san back then." Everyone turned back to Kuroko, who had continued to talk after some time. "She had asked me if we were going to stay together, and I said we would. I told her I would take it upon myself to make sure of it. It was that very promise and the one I made to Ogiwara-kun that gave me the courage to continue forward and fight for what I wanted."

Akashi smiled at Kuroko, who kept his eyes on Momoi and ran his fingers through her hair.

' _You've matured since then, Tetsuya_ ' Akashi thought to himself.

At that moment, Momoi began to stir in her sleep. Everyone tensed up, wary of her reaction to seeing Kuroko awake. She had seemed to be the most devastated, consistenyl having crying spells since his collapse during the game. Kuroko was struck with indecision as he debated whether to coax her back to sleep, or to finally confront her. Regardless of what he chose, it seemed too late as Momoi got up from her position.

She stretched out her arms and yawned, lifting her shirt up and showing her midriff section, to which Kuroko flushed unnoticeably. Momoi rubbed her eyes to get rid of the blurry vision and looked up to see Kuroko wide awake and staring right at her.

Blink.

Blink, blink.

For a moment or two, all was silent as Momoi continued to stare at Kuroko, who returned her gaze.

"...Good morning, Momoi-san." Kuroko said uncomfortably.

….

….

"Tetsu-kun!" All of a sudden, Momoi threw herself at Kuroko, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing the life out of him. "M-Momocchi!" Kise said warily. Kuroko was not fully healed yet and they were concerned as to how his body would take such an assault.

"M-Momoi-san…" Kuroko gasped. He began tapping on the bed ferociously, disregarding the pain that resulted in his arms from doing so as he struggled to breathe.

For some reason, Akashi and Midorima seemed to find the situation amusing as Aomine stood their awkwardly, unsure of whether he should separate them or not.

"Ehhhh? I want a hug too Sa-chin~" Murasakibara said in his usual monotonous voice as he munched on his chips again.

"Ouch….M-Momoi-san….I-I can't...breathe." Kuroko gasped. He felt his right arm lodged between her breasts and could not help but take notice of the soft cushion, even as his lungs felt as if they were on fire. Momoi took no notice of Kuroko's problem as she held on even tighter and began to cry.

"T-Tetsu-kun…." Momoi said several times as she continued to cry.

"M-Momocchi, Kurokocchi's still injured! Be careful!" Kise urged. He did not want to be the mood killer by separating them, yet it seems he was the only one who seemed to be thinking logically in the group, ironically.

Momoi gasped suddenly, as if realizing the situation Kuroko was in. She pulled back suddenly, the tears still tracing down her cheeks. "S-Sorry! Are you okay Tetsu-kun?" Momoi asked anxiously.

Kuroko winced as he flexed and felt the pain ran across his chest from the impact. Although his muscles had mostly healed, they were still tender and vulnerable to stress. And although he enjoyed the contact, he had no intention of having to go through struggle to breathe and surgery again.

Regardless, he managed a small smile as he wiped the tears from Momoi's face with the fingers that were visible on his left hand. "Nn. I'm fine, Momoi-san. Thank you, for keeping me company."

Momoi did not respond, as she re-attached herself to Kuroko and began pounding on his right shoulder while she laid her head on his left one. She began crying once again.

"Stupid…Stupid Tetsu…I was so scared….You weren't breathing, and you wouldn't move…They said you might've died…." Momoi cried softly as she continued to pound his right shoulder with her fist.

The members of GoM stood there awkwardly, unsure of whether they should leave the two alone or not.

Aomine merely looked away, out the window, enviously. For some reason, even though they knew each other their whole lives, he had begun to feel different towards Momoi since their entrance to Touou. He wasn't sure if it was because of the extra attention he now had from her, but all he was aware of was that he had begun to fall for her somewhat. Everytime she paid too much attention to the rest of Tōō's team (at least in his opinion) or started rambling about her recent encounter with Kuroko, Aomine felt a bubble of irritation - and perhaps even jealousy if he had the galls to admit it - in his chest. Hell, part of the reason he would skip class nowadays was just so he could see Momoi skip and chase him up the school roof.

' _Even when we split and I was all she had, you still had Satsuki all over you, Tetsu_ ' Aomine thought enviously. And he hated himself for it. He was part of the reason that Tetsu was in this situation, having abandoned him and Momoi as middle school students. He pushed Tetsu to the brink of desperation, he alone made Momoi cry countless times, and he contributed to the loneliness the two of them dealth with for so long. Yet all he could feelt at that split moment was envy and jealousy for their personal moment. He turned back to the group, and hid the jealousy he felt after seeing Momoi holding Kuroko tightly, who was trying to comfort the girl. Finally, Akashi motioned for the group to exit the room.

"Tetsuya." Akashi called out. Kuroko turned his head in response, while patting Momoi's back with his right arm. "The doctor informed us that you may leave in a wheelchair, as long as you are supervised. We will be waiting across the street in the restaurant, alongside several of our teammates and Seirin. Make sure to sign yourself out and to bring Satsuki with you." Akashi informed to Kuroko as they headed out.

After Kise shut the door on the way out, Kuroko returned his gaze to Momoi, who had finished crying but continued to lay her head on his left shoulder while gripping his right one.

"Forgive me, Momoi-san. It seems I've given you quite the scare." Kuroko said light-heartedly. Momoi did not respond and kept her face covered in Kuroko's shoulder. Kuroko's eyebrows furrowed in concern and confusion as he waited for Momoi to say something.

"Momoi-san?"

"…I was so scared….I didn't know what to do, I felt so helpless…" Momoi whispered. She then looked up to Kuroko, her eyes filled with tears that threatened to fall again. "Promise me. Promise me you won't do that again."

Kuroko hesitated and bit on his lip. He was fully aware of the consequences of entering the Zone, and never bothered to use it, even if a loss seemed imminent. The only reason he used it just before was because he wasn't sure when he would get the chance to verse Akashi again. But does the need ever call for him to enter the Zone, whether it be for a burst of speed or a fight…..

"Momoi-san, I-"

"Promise me Tetsu-kun. _Please_ " Momoi pleaded with him. She then re-buried her face into his shoulder. "What I felt when you collapsed, it was worse than the time in Teiko. Back then, I had you to rely on for comfort. But if you couldn't have recovered from this, I don't know what I'd have done." Momoi ended, leaving that question in the air for Kuroko, who had no response.

While the GoM would work to comfort her, he highly doubted they would make any progress. During the conflict in Teiko, Kuroko and Momoi had grown ever-closer than before as they relied on each other for comfort during those difficult times. As such, Kuroko could only see himself fit to comfort Momoi if the moment called for it.

"Please, just promise me. No matter what, you won't do such a thing again. Don't make me suffer like that again…" Momoi said pleadingly. Kuroko gave a soft smile to Momoi, who couldn't see it but felt the vibrations as Kuroko let out a soft chuckle.

"Okay, I promise." Kuroko said with a smile. Momoi looked up to him and smiled. With that issue at rest, there was nothing stopping Momoi from noticing the position they were in. Momoi lay on top of Kuroko, practically straddling him, with their faces literally an inch apart. Her face flushed as she backed up instinctively.

' _T-_ _Tetsu-kun and I, we were so close together~_ ' Momoi's face flushed even more as she thought to herself. Nothing could stop her mind at this point from going off on a tangent.

~In Momoi's Head~

"Promise me, Tetsu-kun~ Don't leave me…" An teary-eyed Momoi said to Kuroko as she stared into his eyes.

"Of course Momoi-san. I will **never** leave you." Kuroko held Momoi in his arms and brought her in closer. "I love you too much to let you go…" And with that, their lips sealed together in eternal bliss. Momoi could feel Kuroko's soft lips slide off her own, towards her jawline, down to her neck.

~Exit Momoi's Head~

' _Awawawah_ ' Momoi thought to herself as she held her face in her hands and blushed at her daydreams. She then noticed Kuroko, who had moved himself over to her, clearly concerned and unaware or not bothered by the small distance between them.

Momoi froze in shock at the small distance in between them once again.

' _Is this my chance? Is he finally encouraging me to make a move?! Do I dare?!_ ' Momoi's head was in turmoil as she debated with herself.

"Momoi-san. Are you alright?" Kuroko asked concernedly. After backing away, Momoi had stared off into space for some time, leaving Kuroko worried. After leaning in, it seemed she woke up from her trance, but remained frozen.

"Y-Yes!" Momoi said rapidly.

"Akashi-kun said the doctor is allowing me to leave the hospital today in a wheelchair. Would it be too much of a bother if I asked you to push my wheelchair and bring us to the restaurant across the street?" Kuroko asked to Momoi after backing up and increasing the space between them to a comfortable distance.

Momoi froze again as an arrow pierced her heart.

' _I-Is this a confession? It's happening so fast! Tetsu-kun is asking me out on a date?_ '

"It seems our friends are awaiting for our arrival in the restaurant." Kuroko said as he looked out the window. The animated enlarged heart that was beating in Momoi's chest cracked at that statement as her initial thoughts were shot down. Kuroko, noticing the distraught look on her face, frowned slightly.

"If it's too much of a bother, it's quite alright. I can ju-"

"Nonono!" Momoi said as she swung her hands in front of her in denial. In the long period of time that she remained silent, it seems that she had given Kuroko the wrong idea. "It's not problem at all Tetsu-kun! I'd love to!" Momoi said reassuringly.

The frown did not leave Kuroko's face as he tilted his head. "Are you sure, Momoi-san? I'd hate to intrude on any plans you had." Kuroko said to Momoi.

Momoi's eyes were replaced with beating hearts as she heard Kuroko's last statement.

' _Tetsu-kun is worried about me! And the way he tilts his head! It's so cuuute!'_

Momoi shook the thoughts out of her head, fearing she may give Kuroko the wrong idea again. "Nn! Let's go as soon as possible!" Momoi said to Kuroko.

At that remark, Kuroko's frown was replaced with an actual full-blown rare smile, much to Momoi's happiness, and nodded.

"Yes. Let's go right away!"


End file.
